"It is not usual to start with three entrepreneurs, each with more than a decade of experience” says Bart Daniëls. As an industrial engineer with a background in project management in multinational companies, he knows heavy industry inside out. "We took an unusual approach in 2020. Instead of starting small, we went straight into heavy industry."

The leap was bold, but not reckless. "We each had our own expertise - I brought industrial knowledge, Jean-Louis Weemaes had sales, and Tom Daniëls was at home in business start-ups, software development and artificial intelligence. It was a winning combination. We formed a dream team that was at home in all markets and could therefore immediately speak the right language with our customers.”

When SkyeBase was founded, the corona crisis had just hit. Not the ideal time to launch a company with industrial clients. Nevertheless, the company has built up an impressive portfolio in recent years.

"We carry out industrial drone inspections in critical environments such as petrochemical, oil and gas facilities, container terminals and infrastructure," explains Bart. "Think of the flares you see in the port, ship-to-shore container cranes, tank farms, piperacks - all assets that need to be inspected regularly for safety reasons."

And these inspections are essential. "A diesel fuel tank with corrosion can eventually rupture; an environmental disaster. By closely monitoring the condition of these assets, we help prevent major accidents," he stresses.

"In the past, you had to build scaffolding, descend by rope or use aerial platforms. These traditional inspection techniques were not only costly and time-consuming but also risky. Our drones can collect huge amounts of data in a single flight, which is then analysed by our AI. This data is more diverse than you might think. It's not just videos and photos, we can also measure the thickness of steel and even perform emission measurements to see what gases are being released.

The real innovation, however, is what happens after the data has been collected. For example, our AI systems can automatically detect and visualise cracks in concrete. We create heat maps that show exactly where most problems occur. This allows customers to determine very specifically where they need to intervene."

"We occasionally do encounter resistance from companies. One persistent misconception is that we want to replace inspectors. This is not the case. On the contrary, we are providing them with tools to do their job better, safer and more efficiently. The licensed inspector will always have to make the final decisions.

SkyeBase focuses on what they do well: collecting and analysing data. "We are experts in collecting data and building software platforms and AI. We are not a recognized inspection body nor do we make decisions about what to do with an asset."

The latter is an interesting detail, given that Vinçotte - one of the largest inspection companies - recently joined as an investor. "A strategic partner," Bart calls it. "We have the drone expertise, they have the inspection expertise. We strenghten each other perfectly."

"We are growing rapidly across national borders. We are the biggest player in industrial drone inspection in Belgium and the Netherlands. We now are at a turning point; recently we completed contracts in Denmark and Thailand and we have enquiries from Finland, Germany and America. In addition, SkyeBase has obtained a European drone licence (Light UAS Operator Certificate - LUC). This ensures that international scale-up is possible".

International growth is the next logical step. "First we will go on-site, but if there is a lot of work in a particular country, we want to set up a local organisation. It's more efficient and scalable. With a team of 12 permanent staff and around 15 freelancers, SkyeBase is ready for the next challenge.”

When we ask Bart about the competition, we get a surprising answer: "Our biggest competitors are not other drone companies, but the customers who are not ready yet for innovative solutions with drones and continue to do things the old-fashioned way. It's a choice between traditional and change management".

The mission remains clear: to provide safer, more efficient and higher quality inspections. And, in most cases, cheaper ones. "Especially in complex situations, you save a lot of money if you don't have to build scaffolding".

As industrial plants become more complex and safety standards continue to rise, the future looks bright for SkyeBase. The combination of drone technology, AI analytics and industrial expertise makes the company uniquely positioned to transform the inspection industry.

"We continue to innovate," concludes Bart. "Not to replace people, but to help them perform better with the latest technology. That's is the core of what we do."

This interview was originally published by Bloovi. We translated the article in English and published it on businessinantwerp.eu