To ensure a reliable gas supply even in the most remote regions, Thyssengas's more than 3,000 kilometers of pipeline are regularly monitored from the air. HELI-FLIGHT JLR has been carrying out this task for many years with inspection flights every two weeks – a legal requirement and essential for supply security.

A R44 helicopter departs from the central control room in Reichelsheim. On board, two pilots take turns visually inspecting the earth's surface along the route. At altitudes of 60 to 150 meters, they document any anomalies using specialized software. The data is digitally transmitted to the Thyssengas control center in Dortmund in the evening.

If unknown or risky construction sites appear in the safety corridor along the pipeline, the flight is immediately interrupted and the situation on site is assessed. The crew will coordinate further action directly with the Thyssengas control center. This allows potential hazards to be identified and rectified early, before they affect the supply.

Thyssengas is currently testing the next step on a roughly 200-kilometer section: the evaluation of aerial images with the help of artificial intelligence. A camera mounted on the R44 continuously supplies images of the route, and the AI is being trained jointly by Thyssengas experts and the Dortmund-based IT company Materna to automatically detect and evaluate anomalies.

This is how things with a future grow together: decades of flight experience, modern software, and AI-based analyses – for even more safety in the German gas network.

Photos: Camera mount on the R44 © HELI-FLIGHT