A device for nondestructive testing of pipelines is designed to move along a pipeline and has at least one measuring unit for acquiring measured data of the pipeline, wherein the device is self-propelled and has at least one functional unit rotatable about a central axis of the device for acquiring measured data and/or for driving the device. In a corresponding method for nondestructive testing of pipelines, the device is moved along the pipeline by a functional unit having drive elements and moving helically along a surface of the pipeline to be covered. The functional unit acquires measured data and the drive elements are forced by a magnetic field generated by the functional unit against the surface of the pipeline.