Join the discussion as Emilie interviews Nikita Iliushkin and Alex Merk from Skygauge Robotics, a company leading the charge in the development of drone technology for nondestructive testing applications. Learn about the challenges and advantages of drone inspections, as well as what’s coming in terms of NDT drone technology.

Nikita Iliushkin is the chief commercial officer of Skygauge Robotics. Since 2016, his team has reinvented how drones fly to expand the commercial applications of drones. Under his guidance, Skygauge focused on ultrasonic testing at height as the first use case of the technology. These inspections traditionally require workers to use high-risk methods such as ropes or scaffolding. He saw that with Skygauge technology these jobs could be performed exponentially faster and more safely because workers stay on the ground. He assembled an elite group of drone pilots, UT inspectors, and industrial clients to help bring the Skygauge drone to market. His discussions with these stakeholders have given him a comprehensive understanding of their needs, enabling safe implementation of this technology at industrial sites.

Alex Merk is the head of sales at Skygauge Robotics. He’s spent twelve years in the NDT industry working for various NDT equipment manufacturers both domestically and internationally in sales and business development. His time in the industry has brought him in contact with every market sector around the globe and, in doing so, provided him with a unique perspective on developing customer-focused solutions. He has a passion for NDT and when he saw how Skygauge is revolutionizing the NDT industry, he jumped at the opportunity to join the dynamic and innovative team.