Bureau Veritas Uses Nolvis X1 for Confined-Space Inspections of Ships and Offshore Facilities

roboticsandautomationnews.com reported on November 11, 2026, that Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore uses Nolvis' industrial drone, the X1, for remote inspections of confined spaces on ships and offshore facilities. The targets include ballast tanks, cargo holds and boilers, where satellite positioning is unavailable. The drone reportedly supports the company's Remote Inspection Techniques (RIT) activities in several countries, including France, Turkey, Greece and Denmark.

According to the report, the X1 is used in confined spaces on ships and offshore facilities where satellite positioning is unavailable, supporting Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore's RIT activities. The report describes its use in reducing the need for personnel to enter these spaces, linking it to inspection processes that involve entry into hazardous areas. It provides no comparative data on the extent of any improvement.

The focus of this case is not simply the demonstration of a drone for confined spaces, but its use in the RIT activities of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, which conducts inspections of ships and offshore facilities. The report says the drone is being used in several countries, including France, Turkey, Greece and Denmark. This indicates use beyond a test at a single site, but the report does not specify the scope or frequency of deployment or the operating conditions in each country. The list of countries cannot be treated as a quantitative measure of deployment scale. The ballast tanks, cargo holds and boilers cited as inspection targets are confined spaces where, according to the report, satellite positioning is unavailable. Previously, people sometimes entered these spaces and used scaffolding or rope access. The X1 is therefore best understood not as a machine that replaces inspections themselves, but as a means of remotely conducting steps that require personnel to enter, reducing the need to enter hazardous environments. The report also says it reduces, rather than eliminates, the need for personnel to enter. In this case, the connection to inspection work is as important as the drone's capabilities. Because the X1 is presented as supporting Bureau Veritas' RIT activities, its practical value depends not only on operating the drone but also on how the inspection information it collects is assessed and integrated with existing inspection procedures. However, the report does not explain how findings are evaluated, what role human review plays or how the time and cost compare with conventional methods. Without this information, it is not possible to assess the extent to which safety or efficiency has improved. The intended use in spaces where satellite positioning is unavailable also points to requirements that differ from those of typical outdoor flights. Further points to assess include which spaces the drone can fly through during inspections, how the quality of the information it collects is ensured, and what constraints apply to different facilities and operating environments. The fact that the drone is used in several countries does not establish that operations are standardized or inspection quality is consistent. What can be confirmed from this report is that the X1 is used in Bureau Veritas' remote inspection activities; assessing its results requires a closer look at its scope of application and role in the inspection process.