Skipper NDT Depth of Cover surveys

Fully automated, remote data acquisition for pipeline integrity. Ensure PHMSA compliance and operational safety without putting divers in the water.

Next-Generation Water Crossing Inspection

Geomorphic Solutions has joined forces with Skipper NDT to revolutionize how operators monitor pipelines beneath navigable waterways.

We combine our deep expertise in fluvial geomorphology with Skipper’s proprietary magnetic detection technology to deliver fully automated, remote data acquisition. This approach eliminates the need for divers, ensuring your assets are monitored with the highest degree of accuracy and safety

HOW IT WORKS: THE SCIENCE OF DETECTION

Skipper NDT utilizes a patented hardware system that fuses high-sensitivity magnetometry with precise geolocation. This proprietary method delivers continuous coordinates (longitude, latitude) and depth of cover for buried pipelines.

Deploy

We navigate the sensor over the target area using fully automated drone or boat platforms. This remote approach keeps field operators safe while surveying up to 1 mile per day on any pipeline diameter (2”–48”)

detect

The system uses fluxgate 3-component magnetometers fused with high-precision GNSS to measure magnetic fields. Our algorithm performs 2D and 3D inversions to automatically detect and georeference the pipeline, even in complex soil.

deliver

Our clients receive a precise digital twin with continuous XYZ coordinates and depth of cover. With data points captured every 2 inches at <1ft accuracy, the density needed for advanced bending strain assessment is provided.

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engineered for extreme environments

The accuracy and data density of traditional inspection methods often degrade in complex field conditions due to signal interference or access limitations. Skipper NDT utilizes remote deployment to maintain sub-foot precision and high sampling frequency, regardless of the environmental challenges.

The HazardThe Skipper Solution
Fast-moving rivers and choppy water (waves) often destabilize standard survey equipment, creating noise in the data or forcing gaps in coverage.Magnetic sensors are unaffected by hydraulic turbulence. Whether deployed by drone or stable platform, we capture continuous, clean data even in rapid flow conditions.
Vertical riverbanks and dense vegetation typically restrict the deployment of ground-based systems (like GPR), leading to critical data gaps in the bank transition zones.The airborne capability allows us to survey seamless profiles from bank to bank. We maintain full data density across steep slopes where other equipment cannot be staged.
Conductive soils (like clay) or varying sediment layers often block or scatter signals from GPR and EMF tools, resulting in “lost” sections of pipe.Proprietary magnetic inversion algorithm penetrates complex soil types to locate both known and unknown pipelines, providing continuous coordinates regardless of burial depth.

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