Quality & trust pathway
The ScanSustain process
Five steps, one reproducible path — from the first inquiry to the audit-grade outcome. Every step with clear input, clear output and clear responsibility.
The ScanSustain process is not a marketing diagram — it's how we actually work. It exists because inspection results are only trustworthy when their origin is traceable. That is the difference between a recorded video and an engineering-grade finding — and the reason why authorities, engineering offices and expert witnesses can use our reports without rework.
What the process means for you
Predictability
Before the mission you know what will be delivered, how much time it will take and who is responsible for what. No surprises on the day.
Reproducibility
Every step leaves a protocol. That makes every follow-up inspection comparable — the foundation of every robust time series.
Verifiability
An explicit process is readable to inspectors, expert witnesses and authorities. Results don't have to be defended — they speak for themselves.
The five steps in detail
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1. Briefing & objective
We don't start with technology, but with the question: what should be decidable at the end? Asset type, water type, regulatory context and desired deliverable are structured from the outset.
You provide: asset type, water type, mission goal, required deliverable, access logistics, time window, relevant prior reports.
We provide: structured follow-up questions, clear mission outline, honest scope estimate, alignment on format and structure of the later report.
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2. Mission planning & preparation
Planning is the difference between a technical deployment and an engineering-grade mission. We check routes, visibility, access, safety and reference points before the ROV enters the water.
You provide: drawings, prior reports, authority context, permits if applicable, operational windows and points of contact.
We provide: route planning, equipment set, sensor selection (video / sonar / combined), risk check, schedule, safety concept.
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3. Synchronised field mission
Field work is tightly timed but not rushed. The ROV route is traversed systematically, candidate points are verified directly, critical locations are cross-checked live with the point of contact.
You provide: on-site access, point of contact, optional accompaniment, operational safety.
We provide: ROV mission as planned, live verification, parallel data capture (video, telemetry, sonar as applicable), defined handover interface.
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4. Data capture & structured analysis
Immediately after the mission all raw data is secured, sorted temporally and by position, and processed into a structured findings report. On request with damage classification and action recommendations.
You provide: feedback on finding prioritisation or interpretation questions if relevant.
We provide: sorted raw data, findings report with image references, optional damage matrix, authority-ready format.
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5. Audit-grade handover & comparability
The handover is not the end of the process — it is the link to the next inspection. We deliver the report, the raw data and the reproducibility memo that secures follow-up missions.
You provide: reception & archiving, any questions about the report.
We provide: full data package, findings report, reproducibility memo for follow-up inspections, on request a briefing for the receiving party.
Repeatability and comparability as core principle
The greatest value of the ScanSustain process lies not in a single mission, but in the connection between missions. When the route of an inspection is logged, the next mission can retrace it identically — and two individual findings become a delta comparison, several delta comparisons become a robust time series.
That is the path by which a one-off ROV inspection becomes a real monitoring programme — without methodology breaks, without re-briefing, without loss of comparability.
Quality characteristics of the process
- Transparent responsibility — every phase has a defined interface between client and ScanSustain
- Format alignment upfront — report structure is clarified with the reviewing body before the mission
- Raw data preservation — unaltered raw data remains archive-ready and evidence-grade
- No briefing loss — what is said in the briefing lands in the mission plan and the report
- Same language over years — follow-up missions use the same reference frame
- Honest scope estimates — no surprises, no hidden follow-up costs
Frequently asked questions about the process
How long does the full process take from inquiry to report?
Typically 1–3 working days for briefing and planning, 2–6 hours of field work per standard object, 2–5 working days for analysis. Overall one to two weeks from briefing to finished report, depending on scope.
Can we review the report before final handover?
Yes. A review window is provided between analysis and final handover. You can comment on the draft, adjust finding prioritisation, or clarify format details.
Isn't the process overkill for small missions?
No. Even for a small mission the time spent on briefing and route planning is small compared to the later usefulness. An explicit process saves more time on the second mission than it costs on the first.
What happens if something on site is different than planned?
Deviations are documented and — where possible — clarified live with the point of contact. That is part of mission planning: the plan is the starting point, not the end. Every adjustment is traceably recorded in the report.
Are all five steps performed on every mission?
Yes. The scope per step varies, but no step is skipped — otherwise the comparability chain breaks. Even for very small missions we document briefing, planning, execution, analysis and handover.
Related pages
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