Increasing Government Laws and Obligations for Pipeline Assessment Drives Robotic Crawler Camera System Market Growth
The demand for pipeline inspection technology, such as crawler camera systems, is being driven by governmental regulations for pipeline assessment. These laws are envisioned to ensure pipeline infrastructure’s integrity, safety, and environmental compliance. To prevent spills, leaks, and accidents that could negatively impact the environment and the security of the overall population, governments across the globe are implementing stringent safety standards and regulations for pipeline operators. For instance, the US Department of Transportation’s Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued pipeline safety regulations that address construction, operation, and maintenance requirements for pipeline operators and enforce pipeline safety laws and regulations. Pipeline inspections are regularly required under these laws to detect and resolve possible problems before they change into emergencies. With their capability to undertake thorough visual inspections of pipelines, crawler camera systems have been established as critical tools for pipeline assessment. The robotic crawler camera system market report emphasizes such key factors driving the market and depicts the developments of prominent players.
The requirement for advanced inspection tools that deliver real-time information is increasing among government organizations. Several government bodies currently mandate collecting and inspecting data on pipeline conditions. Crawler camera systems with advanced sensors, such as ultrasonic thickness gauges and laser profiling, can provide accurate information on the thickness of pipes, the extent of corrosion, and the structural reliability of an object. This data improves the overall efficacy of pipeline valuations and is critical for long-term planning and regulatory compliance. Regulatory establishments are becoming more conscious of how important it is to adopt new advanced technologies to improve inspection accuracy and efficiency. The speed, flexibility, and accuracy of inspections are enhanced by crawler camera systems’ real-time video streaming and robotic maneuverability. Governments in some regions appeal to pipeline operators to invest in upgrading their inspection operations by providing tax rebates, grants, or other monetary incentives. As businesses try to take benefit of these incentives to upgrade their inspection equipment, this drives market development even more. Thus, the increase in government laws and obligations for pipeline assessment is boosting the robotic crawler camera system market growth.
Robotic Crawler Camera System Market: Segment Overview
The global robotic crawler camera system market is segmented on the basis of component, application, end user, and geography. Based on component, the market is segmented into hardware, software, and service. The hardware segment is further segmented into cameras, crawlers, cable drums, control units, and others. Based on application, the market is segmented into drain inspection, pipeline inspection, and tank void cavity or conduit inspection. Based on end user, the market is segmented into residential, commercial, municipal, and industrial. By geography, the robotic crawler camera system market share is split between North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), the Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM).
In 2022, Europe held a significant robotic crawler camera system market share. As the population of Europe increases, the wastewater and water development projects also increase. According to the European Commission, in Europe, investments in the public sewerage network aimed to achieve the renovation and rehabilitation of 775 kilometers of public sewerage networks, as well as the construction and operationalization of 12 wastewater treatment plants, to ensure access to appropriate wastewater treatment for an additional 200,000 people. So far, 126 kilometers of public sewerage network have been built or reconstructed in 39 project areas across Croatia. Also, investments in the public water supply network aimed to achieve energy-efficient renovation, rehabilitation, and extension of 956 kilometers of water supply pipelines, especially in rural, mountainous, and demographically disadvantaged areas, to ensure drinking water and improved public water supply systems for ~45,000 people and reduce water losses in the public water supply systems. So far, 256 kilometers of public water supply network have been built or reconstructed in 48 project areas across Croatia. The robotics crawler cameras are used to inspect the water pipelines in a wide range of environments, including underwater and hazardous areas. Therefore, with the increasing number of wastewater and water development projects, the demand for robotics crawler cameras is increasing. The robotic crawler camera system market analysis is carried out by identifying and evaluating key players in the market across different countries of the region.
The region is shifting toward renewable energy sources but is still largely reliant on fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas. According to new data from Global Energy Monitor (GEM), the oil industry is moving ahead with a massive expansion of the oil pipeline system in the UK. The network of pipelines operated by the UKOPA member companies is over 27,000 km in length (nearly five times the distance between London and New York). Similarly, as per the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, potential crude oil reserves in Germany were projected to be ~23 million MT as of Jan 2022. The oil & gas industry is growing in the country, and various companies are partnering to launch new robotic crawler cameras for this industry. For instance, in March 2022, Petronas partnered with Waygate Technologies Robotics (WTR) to commercialize a robotic crawler inspection device for the oil & gas industry. The commercial agreement was signed between Petronas’ technology commercialization arm, Petronas Technology Ventures (PTVSB), and WTR, Germany. Therefore, trends mentioned above and product launches promote the robotic crawler camera system market in the region.
Robotic Crawler Camera System Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments
Key robotic crawler camera system market trends indicate that the major players are focusing on taking advantage of the opportunities in emerging markets. AM Industrial (UK) Ltd, CUES Inc, Deep Trekker Inc, Eddyfi Technologies, Inspector Systems GmbH, iPEK International GmbH, Kummert GmbH, Mini-Cam Ltd, Rausch GmbH, and The Charles Machine Works Inc are among the prominent players included in the market analysis. Several other important players were also analyzed to get a holistic view of the global market and its ecosystem. The leading players included in the global robotic crawler camera system market report focus on feature upgrades, expansion and diversification, collaboration, and acquisition strategies, which enable them to grab new business opportunities.
- In January 2023, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras based robotic solutions startup for the sanitation industry, Solinas, received funding of ~US$ 1.0 million from the reality show Shark Tank India. The funding is anticipated to aid in further development and commercialization of their robotic crawler product.
- In January 2020, a consortium of UK companies introduced the Friction Stir Welding Robotic Crawler (FSWBot), the world’s first solution for the internal repair and inspection of pipelines.