110 m Acid Tailings Stack Ultrasonic Thickness Inspection – Incitec Pivot Mount Isa

Safer, Faster, and More Comprehensive Data Collection with the Voliro Drone

Project Overview

Client: Incitec Pivot Limited

Location: Mount Isa Acid Plant, Queensland

Asset: 110 m Acid Tailings Stack

Scope: Ultrasonic Thickness Testing (UTT)

Technology: Voliro T Drone with UT Payload

Challenge

Inspecting a 110 m acid tailings stack presented several operational and safety challenges. Traditionally, Incitec Pivot relied on crane-based access to perform manual ultrasonic measurements, which involved:

• Two technicians in a crane basket

• A dedicated crane operator throughout the operation

• Maximum inspection height of 80 m — leaving the top 30 m untouched

• Project duration of up to two weeks

• Exposure to heat, wind and chemical risks

These factors created significant safety constraints and high costs, while still leaving critical areas of the stack uninspected.

Our Solution

Nurosight Robotics deployed the Voliro T, a state-of-the-art drone capable of performing contact-based Ultrasonic Thickness Testing (UTT) on vertical structures.

Key project achievements:

• 380 thickness measurements collected across the entire 110 m stack surface

• Full-height inspection achieved in just three days

• Zero personnel at height and no crane hire required

The Voliro T’s unique thrust-vectoring system allowed for stable contact measurements in high-temperature and wind-affected conditions, ensuring data accuracy and repeatability from base to top of the stack.

Results & Benefits

Metric	Traditional Method	Voliro Drone Method
Inspection Duration	10 – 14 days	3 days
Measurement Coverage	~80 m (73 %)	110 m (100 %)
Personnel Exposure	3 people at height	0
Crane Hire	Required	Eliminated
Data Volume	Limited manual points	380 digital UTT points

Project Outcome:

• Full-height, non-intrusive inspection completed in record time

• No height risk or chemical exposure for personnel

• Cost and time savings from eliminating crane hire and EWP logistics

• High-resolution, digitally logged thickness data for engineering analysis

Client Impact

For Incitec Pivot, drone-based UTT transformed how acid stack inspections are performed. The method delivered complete asset coverage, improved data confidence and significantly reduced operational risk — all without interrupting production.

This project demonstrates how robotic inspection technology can revolutionise traditional NDT workflows in heavy industrial and chemical environments.

Technology Spotlight – Voliro T Drone

• Multi-rotor system with thrust-vectoring stabilisation

• Contact-based UTT payload for ferrous and non-ferrous materials

• Real-time data validation and logging

• Ideal for tall vertical assets including acid stacks, chimneys and flares