FAQ: AI Sewer Inspection
and Condition Assessment

Yes. The coding system covers sewers and pipes as well as manholes and inspection chambers. Pallon codes both, pipes and manholes, in either edition.

DIN EN 13508-2 is the European standard that defines the coding system itself, the codes, their structure and their meaning. DWA-M 149-2 is a German code of practice that accompanies it and adds recommendations on how clients should apply the system in practice. The two are used together, not as alternatives, and the code of practice follows the structure of the standard.

Yes. Pallon codes according to DIN EN 13508-2 (2003 and 2011), including the national specifications DWA-M 149-2 and DWA-M 150 as well as the ISYBAU variant, for pipes and manholes. For Switzerland we support VSA-KEK; for North America, NASSCO PACP 7 and MACP 7. The output uses the same codes as manual coding, so it fits directly into standards-compliant condition assessment and downstream rehabilitation planning.

Inclination data recorded by the inspection robot passes through unchanged. Pallon receives it via the exchange file, does not edit or alter it, and returns it as delivered – so working with Pallon has no effect on your gradient data and you can pass it on to your client as usual.

The web app is available in German and English. Coding follows the standard you select, independent of interface language – DIN EN 13508-2, WRc MSCC5 or NASSCO PACP 7 and MACP 7. If you need another language, get in touch.

Condition reports are delivered as PDF. Coding data is exported as ISYBAU-XML or VSA-KEK for import into your own GIS, asset management or rehabilitation planning software. Please check in advance whether the supported exchange files are compatible with your system.

Yes, users can filter defects according to their preferences. For example, the filter can be set so that only longitudinally offset pipe joints greater than 10 mm are detected, while in another project longitudinally offset pipe joints are only detected starting at more than 20 mm.

Yes. Pallon is hardware-agnostic and supports almost all common camera setups – pan-and-tilt, side-scan, push cameras, 3D optical scanners and drones. No new hardware, no change to how your crews record. Our service has proven itself over thousands of kilometers with 250+ customers, so you keep your existing workflow and simply upload the footage you already produce.

The number of defects present in an object to be inspected is often very uncertain. Since the project duration depends heavily on the number of defects, it is difficult to estimate the workload precisely in advance and thus always meet deadlines. With our service, project execution is less dependent on the number of defects, which makes planning easier and therefore helps ensure delivery deadlines are met more easily.

The work of a sewer inspector is demanding and tiring. With us, inspectors’ workdays are less tiring, easier, and more predictable—so inspectors stay safe and relaxed and can get home on time.

More complete, standards-compliant and accurate condition coding lets you accelerate both your condition assessment and your rehabilitation planning.

Pallon exports ISYBAU-XML and VSA-KEK files plus PDF condition reports, which import directly into common rehabilitation planning software. Because the coding is already standards-compliant, you can start planning instead of cleaning up the data basis first. Please check in advance whether the supported exchange files match your software.

Pallon uses usage-based pricing, billed monthly or annually based on the inspection length analysed or the number of manholes. There is no licence fee per seat and no hardware investment. Contact sales for a quote for your project volume. You can test Pallon on your own data first — the trial is free.

VSA-KEK is the Swiss data model for exchanging sewer inspection data. It extends the VSA-DSS drainage data structure and carries the results of optical inspection between CCTV contractors, engineering firms and municipalities. It is published as an INTERLIS 2 model and exchanged as XTF files.

Yes. Pallon covers mainline pipes and manholes from 100 to 2000 mm across concrete, vitrified clay, plastic, brick and lined pipes, in circular, egg-shaped and rectangular profiles. With 250+ customers and thousands of kilometers analysed, the AI handles the mixed and ageing stock found in most municipal networks – not just textbook conditions.

ISYBAU-XML is the exchange format used by the German federal building administration to transfer wastewater data between systems. It is defined in Annex A-7 of the Baufachliche Richtlinien Abwasser and covers six data areas, of which master data and condition data matter most for sewer inspection. It is widely used by municipalities and engineering firms in Germany for moving inspection results into GIS and planning software.

SIA 405 Abwasser describes the network — pipes, manholes and their geometry. VSA-KEK describes the condition of that network, as recorded during optical inspection. The two are complementary within the VSA-DSS data structure and are linked through the manhole reference.

Yes, we tend to detect more defects than an average human expert. The additionally reported defects are mainly minor defects, which can be important for deterioration modeling and remediation planning, but are less significant for condition assessment. Therefore, the condition rating does not change significantly on average, since the rating depends primarily on the most serious defects, which were hopefully already reported in the past by human experts. Upon request, we offer the option to filter out minor defects that should not be taken into account in the condition assessment.

They operate on different levels. DWA-M 149-2, applied together with DIN EN 13508-2, defines how a defect is coded. ISYBAU-XML defines how the coded data is transferred between systems. The two are used together: Pallon codes to the standard and delivers the result in the exchange format.

Pallon imports VSA-KEK 2008, 2019 and 2020. New projects should use 2019 or 2020 together with the current release of the VSA guideline; 2008 is superseded but still found in older datasets.

Yes. Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest, hosted in certified data centers, and never shared with third parties. Access is strictly controlled and you always remain the owner of your inspection data.

Pallon supports the 2006, 2013 and 2017 versions of the ISYBAU wastewater exchange format. ISYBAU 2017 is used by default. Where a dataset arrives as version 2013, that version is preserved on export.

No. The German coding systems DWA-M and ISYBAU are not valid in Switzerland. The VSA guideline is the national application of SN EN 13508-2 here, and inspection data is exchanged as VSA-KEK. Pallon codes to whichever system your project requires.

Pallon exports the standard interchange formats – ISYBAU-XML and VSA-KEK – so condition data flows straight into your GIS or asset management system and stays attached to the right pipe segment. Bidirectional integrations exist with GIS systems used across Switzerland and Germany; further integrations are built on request. Please check in advance whether the supported exchange files are compatible with your GIS.

No. The ISYBAU data model still permits those older coding catalogues, but Pallon codes to DIN EN 13508-2 and DWA-M 149-2 in their ISYBAU variants instead. If your existing records use the older catalogues, talk to us about how they fit into your project.