Aerial Thermal · Okanagan
Industrial Thermal Survey in Kelowna, BC
Heat-loss mapping on tanks and pipelines, refractory damage, stack hot spots, and district-energy networks — plant-scale radiometric surveys from the air. Flown by Transport Canada-certified RPAS pilots serving Kelowna and the Okanagan region — since 1999 as BC's leak detection and inspection specialists.
Free phone consult · No pressure · Mon–Sat 8am–6pm PT
Flying Kelowna: local context
YLW control zone under authorization; lakefront towers, wineries, and solar uptake drive a diverse aerial book.
Local asset profile: Lakefront estates with pools and extensive irrigation, orchard and vineyard parcels, and a fast-rising downtown tower skyline.
Typical industrial thermal survey work around Kelowna
- Tower envelope thermography
- Winery and solar array scans
- Tank and pipeline heat-loss programs
- Refractory and stack condition
- District heating networks
How the Kelowna survey runs
- 1
Asset inventory
The survey list is built from the site's integrity and energy priorities — tanks, lines, stacks, substations, networks.
- 2
Flight campaign
Systematic radiometric capture across the inventory, flown at conditions that maximise each asset class's signal.
- 3
Analysis
Findings classified: insulation loss, refractory hot spots, level/interface lines, electrical heating — quantified, not just imaged.
- 4
Program report
Asset-by-asset condition with ranked actions — the screening layer that aims follow-up NDT and maintenance spend precisely.
Kelowna questions, answered
What does a stack or refractory hot spot mean?
External hot spots on stacks, kilns, and lined vessels mark where internal refractory has thinned or failed — the shell is seeing temperatures it was never designed for. Caught early it is a reline entry on the next planned outage; caught late it is a shell breach. Aerial thermography monitors the whole structure, including elevations nobody can see from grade.
Can you find buried district-heating leaks from the air?
Yes — buried hot-water distribution leaks paint persistent warm anomalies on the surface above, especially in cool conditions. Flying the network maps loss points across kilometres in a session, and pairs naturally with our acoustic and GPR underground leak services for pinpointing.
How does thermal mapping quantify insulation heat loss?
Radiometric surface temperatures across a tank or line, combined with ambient and wind data, convert to estimated heat-flux differentials between intact and degraded zones. The output ranks insulation repairs by energy payback — maintenance with an ROI attached.
Can you scan electrical infrastructure?
Switchyards, transmission hardware, and substation equipment scan well from safe standoff — loose connections and overloaded components heat distinctively. We coordinate flight clearances with operations; nobody approaches energised gear.
Can you legally fly drones for inspection in Kelowna?
Yes — our pilots hold Transport Canada RPAS certification with advanced-operations capability, and Kelowna operations run under whatever airspace authorizations the location requires. YLW control zone under authorization; lakefront towers, wineries, and solar uptake drive a diverse aerial book. Flight planning, NOTAM checks, and authorizations are part of the service, not your problem.
How does Kelowna weather affect scheduling?
Aerial inspection flies in defined weather windows — wind, precipitation, and (for thermal work) the right temperature differentials. Kelowna sits in our standing Okanagan coverage, so we schedule against the local forecast and typically land the survey within days of booking rather than weeks. Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm Pacific.
What does industrial thermal survey cost in Kelowna?
Province-wide pricing — no regional premium for Kelowna. Single-asset thermal surveys typically start in the high hundreds; NDT campaigns and multi-asset programs are quoted by scope. The free phone consult (604-239-9934) produces a firm number in about five minutes.
Other aerial services in Kelowna
Aerial High-Temperature UT in Kelowna
Wall-thickness measurement on hot, in-service assets — 0 to 260 °C (32–500 °F) — without shutdown, by drone. Echo-to-echo and pulsed-echo modes with live A-scan.
View serviceAerial Pulsed Eddy Current (CUI) in Kelowna
Corrosion-under-insulation screening through cladding — pulsed eddy current by drone reads wall thickness through up to 100 mm of insulation and weather jacket. No stripping.
View serviceAerial Solar Farm Inspection in Kelowna
Hot spots, string failures, bypass-diode faults, and underperforming modules — radiometric drone survey of entire PV arrays without taking the system offline.
View serviceAerial Roof Thermal Inspection in Kelowna
Radiometric drone thermography over flat commercial and industrial roofs — trapped moisture, failed insulation, and developing leaks mapped before interior damage shows.
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Aerial Industrial Thermal Survey near Kelowna
Need industrial thermal survey in Kelowna?
Free phone consult — asset, access, airspace, and a firm quote in five minutes. No pressure.