Remote field testing (RFT) is an electromagnetic method of non-destructive testing whose main application is finding defects in steel pipes and tubes. RFT may also be referred to as RFEC (remote field eddy current) or RFET (remote field eddy current technique). An RFET probe is moved through the pipeline and able to detect inside and outside defects with approximately equal sensitivity. The RFET technique works with conductive materials such as copper, brass, stainless steel, etc.

RFT is primarily used to inspect ferromagnetic tubing since conventional eddy current techniques have difficulty inspecting the full thickness of the tube wall due to the strong skin effect in ferromagnetic materials.

The difficulties encountered in the testing of ferromagnetic tubes can be greatly alleviated with the use of the remote field testing method. The RFT method has the advantage of allowing nearly equal sensitivities of detection at both the inner and outer surfaces of a ferromagnetic tube. The method is highly sensitive to variations in wall thickness and tends to be less sensitive to fill-factor changes between the coil and tube. RFT can be used to inspect any conducting tubular product, but it is generally considered to be less sensitive than conventional eddy current techniques when inspecting nonferromagnetic materials.