SOCAR Türkiye Transforms Inspection and Monitoring Processes with Drone Technology

SOCAR Türkiye’s Refining and Petrochemical Business Unit has begun actively utilizing drone technology in the field to enhance occupational health and safety, as well as operational efficiency. As the first company in Türkiye’s refinery sector to implement such a comprehensive drone application,

SOCAR Türkiye has taken a pioneering step in inspection processes with industrial UAV technologies.

As Türkiye’s largest direct international investor and leading integrated industrial group, SOCAR Türkiye has launched the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to further elevate occupational health, safety, and environmental (HSE) standards across its high-risk refinery and petrochemical operations. This innovative approach also plays a critical role in boosting operational efficiency.

With UAVs, inspections in hard-to-reach or high-risk areas — such as stacks, tanks, and basins — as well as gas leak detection and air quality measurements, can now be carried out quickly and safely without human intervention. This not only enhances safety in the field but also ensures uninterrupted operations.

An Industry First: A Comprehensive Drone Portfolio

To support this initiative, SOCAR Türkiye has built a robust portfolio of five different drones, each equipped with specialized payloads tailored to specific operational needs. These include high-resolution imaging, thermal scanning, wall thickness measurement, air quality monitoring and mapping, and gas leak detection. The system stands out as the first of its kind in Türkiye’s refinery sector.

As the only industrial company in the sector to implement a drone program of this scope and variety, SOCAR Türkiye continues to lead in the field of operational technologies.

Developed Through International Academic Collaboration

This advanced system is the result of an R&D project launched in 2022 in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Sahin Albayrak, a faculty member at the Technical University of Berlin and founder of the DAI-Labor (Distributed Artificial Intelligence Laboratory). This partnership, focused on data science applications using UAVs, enabled the integration of academic research with field-deployed technological solutions.

Expanding Use Cases on the Horizon

SOCAR Türkiye aims to further leverage the potential of drone technology. Plans are underway to expand the current UAV portfolio and develop new solutions tailored to the needs of various departments. The company also intends to broaden the use of robotic systems across its operational processes.