What Is the Scout 137?
The Scout 137 is a confined-space inspection drone made by ScoutDI. The current model is the Scout 137 Gen 3. Unlike battery drones, it is connected to a ground station outside the space by a single 60 m tether that carries both power and data.
That tether changes how an inspection runs. There are no battery swaps, so a large tank or hold can be covered in one continuous flight. There is no radio link, so the video and control never drop out behind a baffle, a bulkhead or a bend in a shaft. And no lithium battery enters the space.
Instead of a physical cage, the drone uses a 360° LiDAR scanner as a virtual cage. It maps the space as it flies, holds its position in total darkness without GPS, and stops itself before it touches a wall.
Scout 137 Gen 3 Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Tether | 60 m, carrying power and data; Kevlar-reinforced |
| Flight time | Unlimited, with no battery in the drone |
| Radio emissions | None: data runs over the tether, with no radio or GPS receivers |
| Drone size and weight | 448 × 479 × 262 mm, 3 kg |
| Minimum access opening | 600 mm circular manway |
| LiDAR | 128-beam Ouster OS0, 360° view, 0.5 to 75 m range |
| Camera | 4K video and stills, 3.5× optical zoom, 2-axis gimbal |
| Lighting | Up to 12,000 lumens |
| Gas monitoring | 14 flammable gases, 0 to 100% LEL, alarms at 20% and 40% LEL |
| Protection and temperature | IP54; −20 °C to +50 °C |
Specifications as published by ScoutDI for the Scout 137 Gen 3.
Where We Use It in Singapore
| Asset | Typical site | Why the Scout 137 suits it |
|---|---|---|
| Ship cargo holds and ballast tanks | Shipyards and anchorage | Long, continuous flights through large or compartmented spaces, for vessel inspection |
| Storage tanks | Terminals and industrial plants | Enters through a 600 mm manway and covers shell, roof and floor in one flight |
| Pressure vessels and columns | Refineries and process plants | Tall, narrow spaces where a radio link struggles |
| Boilers and flue stacks | Power and utility plants | Dark, sooty, enclosed spaces with no GPS |
| Deep shafts and sewers | PUB and its contractors | The tether keeps the link through depth and bends. See tunnel and shaft inspection. |
| Penstocks and water intakes | Water and power infrastructure | Long vertical and horizontal runs with no line of sight |
Scout 137 or Elios 3?
We fly both, because they suit different spaces. The Flyability Elios 3 is caged and battery-powered, with a radio link. It is quick to deploy and good for tunnels, culverts, chambers and spaces where the pilot keeps a line of sight. The Scout 137 is the choice when the space is deep, large or radio-hostile, or when the inspection needs a long, continuous flight. We choose the platform at scoping.
3D Point Clouds and Located Findings
The Scout 137 builds a LiDAR map of the space on every flight. Every photo, video frame, gas reading and finding is tagged with its position in that 3D map, so a defect can be found again on the next inspection or by the repair crew.
ScoutDI states the point cloud meets the USIBD LOA20 accuracy level, checked against a terrestrial laser scan. Point clouds can be exported as LAZ, PCD, PLY or E57 for measurement, modelling or scan to BIM.
Gas Monitoring and Safety
The Scout 137 is not ATEX-certified, and ScoutDI says no inspection drone in its class is. Its on-board gas sensor is certified intrinsically safe, and monitors 14 flammable gases throughout the flight, with alarms at 20% and 40% of the lower explosive limit. The sensor supports your entry clearance; it does not replace it.
So every space is gas tested and ventilated under the confined space permit before we fly, and the work runs under your permit to work. With no battery and no radio, the drone removes two common ignition concerns, and nobody from our team enters the space.
Optional Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement
The Scout 137 platform supports an optional ultrasonic thickness (UT) payload. It cleans a spot with an on-board brush, applies couplant, and takes readings from 1 to 150 mm, depending on the material, with an accuracy of better than 0.1 mm or ±1%. Multi-echo mode reads through coatings up to 6 mm thick. Each reading is tagged at its position in the 3D map. With the UT payload fitted, the maximum lifting distance is 35 m.
If your inspection needs thickness readings, tell us at scoping so we can plan the payload, probes and measurement grid.
Class Surveys
The Scout 137 is built for class survey workflows, including DNV, Bureau Veritas, Lloyd's Register and ABS. Whether a remote inspection is accepted for a particular survey is decided by the class society and the attending surveyor, so we plan the flight, coverage and reporting with the surveyor before the inspection.
Scout 137 Inspection Pricing
| Asset | Price range |
|---|---|
| Small storage tank (under 500 m³) | $3,000 — $5,000 |
| Large storage tank (500 — 10,000 m³) | $5,000 — $8,000 |
| Pressure vessel or column | $4,000 — $8,000 |
| Ship cargo hold or ballast tank (per hold or tank) | $5,000 — $15,000 |
| Deep shaft or complex tunnel system | $8,000 — $15,000 |
Prices include planning, the method statement and risk assessment, the crew and platform, and the report with 3D point cloud. UT thickness measurement is quoted separately. Further spaces inspected in the same mobilisation are quoted at a lower rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get a Scout 137 Inspection Quote
Send us the asset type, its size and access opening, and whether thickness readings or a class survey are involved. We reply with a scope and quote within 24 hours.