The oil and gas pipeline is one of the important tools of energy transportation, the monitoring of oil and gas pipeline is an important link to ensure its safe transportation and ensure the continuity of related production. In the monitoring field, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has very strong flexibility and adaptability, and has the ability to obtain the value of monitoring data at small to large scales. Thus, the monitoring system based on UAV has become to be a strong complement to the existing monitoring system of oil and gas pipelines. In this paper, the development process of oil and gas transmission pipeline monitoring system is reviewed. Through in-depth analysis of the existing monitoring cases of unmanned aerial vehicle in monitoring system of oil and gas pipeline transmission, the advantages and limitations of its application are pointed out. The main factors that should be considered in the application configuration of monitoring system based on UAV are put forward, three feasible scheme for UAV for oil and gas pipeline monitoring are discussed. Finally, the future application prospect of unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring system in oil and gas pipeline is prospected.