Wide Adoption of Remote Visual Inspections

Remote visual inspections – or sometimes referred to as virtual inspections, or remote inspections – use a variety of different technologies to allow remote examination of physical locations, processes, and large equipment.

Remote visual inspections were widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic but we’ve seen businesses across industries continue the practice today. Although these inspections offer significant benefits, they aren’t right for every situation.

Drawing on our team’s experience with hundreds of such inspections, we came up with four key considerations to decide whether remote or virtual inspections are right for you and your organization.

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1. Type of Inspection

Consider the type of inspection or audit you’re conducting.

Remote visual inspections are suitable for certain types of inspections, such as inspections of a facility, process, or large machinery. It may not be appropriate for more complex inspections that require procedures like physical testing or sampling raw materials.

The type of inspection will also be a key factor when choosing an inspection technology. A smartphone solution may be sufficient for home inspections, where as a remote-piloted drones are ideal for large industrial sites. 360° video tools like Avatour are especially useful when remote inspectors must observe multiple things or require full context of a location – like in a health and safety review.

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2. Internet Connectivity

Having a reliable internet connection is critical for conducting inspections remotely, especially in real time, but options are available even where a connection is not. If WiFI is not readily available, check to see if the location has cellular coverage.

For sites that are underground or shielded where connectivity is not available, using a remote tool can be a challenge, but not impossible. If you’re using Avatour, for example, you’ll be able to record the walkthrough in 360° to review later.

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3. Regulatory Compliance Requirements

If you are subject to regulatory compliance requirements, check with the regulatory agency to determine if remote inspections are acceptable. Some regulatory agencies have specific guidelines for conducting inspections remotely.

4. Inspection Site

Last but not least, consider the sites where these remote visual inspections will take place. Will you primarily be conducting inspections of your own organizations sites and facilities? Or will you be inspecting second party sites?

It’s important to determine the location because the team on site has an important role as the camera operator. Their buy-in to use new technology is critical in successfully implementing remote solutions. If you plan to ship the technology to different sites, it makes the adoption process much more difficult, especially in finding a dedicate camera operator.

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Redefining Remote Inspections with Avatour

Avatour enables live remote visual inspections with complete visibility.

Existing video tools used for inspections and audits have one main problem: a limited field of view. These tools create a less than ideal inspection experience, especially for inspections of physical locations, processes, and large equipment.

Avatour gives remote inspectors the power to look around freely and the ability to collaborate with remote subject matter experts more effectively.

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Learn more about Avatour for Remote Inspections

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