Japan's Terra Drone, a leader in industrial drones, has partnered with NDT Corrosion Control Services (NDTCCS), a leading Saudi provider of non-destructive testing and inspection services, to form a new joint venture, Terra Drone CCS that will focus on the Middle East market.

Through NDTCCS’ branches in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, Terra Drone CCS will provide UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) inspection and testing services to a variety of sectors, including power lines, utilities, renewables, telecommunications, and oil and gas facilities. The company will also contribute to surveying activities and urban development using drones.

With Terra Drone’s innovative technology, Terra Drone CCS will be able to cater to its client base in a much more time- and cost-efficient manner.

Terra Drone CCS will also utilise the technology stack of Terra Inspectioneering – Terra Drone Corporation’s newest branch which performs visual and ultrasonic inspections using proprietary drone technologies.

Energy consumption in the Middle East is expected to rise sharply on the back of rapid industrialisation and infrastructure development, says a spokesman for Terra Drone CCS. “And with the push being toward renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, the demand for inspection of these power generation facilities is also expected to increase. Terra Drone CCS expects to be in a prime position to provide these services to power generation facilities using drones,” he says.

L M Murugan, group general manager, NDTCCS, says: “Joining forces with Terra Drone will not only add value to our customers, but it would also spark a digital transformation in Saudi Arabia and the GCC. By collaborating both companies’ technical expertise and experience, Terra Drone CCS will become a pioneer of emerging technologies like drones, Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, and artificial intelligence in the region.”

NDTCCS counts some of the biggest oil and gas companies in the Middle East among its clients. These include major national oil and gas companies like the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), Saudi Aramco, Kuwait Oil Company, and Oman Oil Company, to name but a few. 

Terra Drone Corporation CEO, Toru Tokushige, says: “Of the many NDT and inspection companies we came across, we were most impressed by the capabilities and track record of NDTCCS. The company is already a market leader in the GCC and the best partner we could ask for to serve clients in this region. We look forward to bringing our leading technologies such as Terra UTM, Terra Wing, Terra LiDAR, 4G LTE drones, and our proprietary mapping software Terra Mapper to the region.”