A flying tool will soon enable nuclear operators to collect accurate radiation data remotely, eliminating the need for personnel to enter irradiated areas to document such data. A collaborative initiative has equipped the Elios 3 indoor drone designed by Flyability with the RDS-32 radiation survey meter engineered by radiation measurement and monitoring solutions provider Mirion Technologies.

The Elios 3 is equipped with an RDS-32 light ranging and detection (lidar) sensor, enabling data collection for the purpose of generating 3D models via software from partner GeoSLAM. The pairing of technology from Flyability and GeoSLAM allows for production of survey-grade point clouds of inaccessible spaces, eliminating any uncertainty stemming from a reliance on approximations and guesswork. The Elios 3 can also carry a second payload in addition to the lidar sensor, allowing for customization to suit the user’s needs.

Source: Flyability

The system has been field tested by Flyability and the U.S. Idaho National Laboratory at a high-level radioactive waste storage vault. The trial successfully produced the lidar and radiation data required to proceed with planning for waste removal at the site.

Other missions conducted with nuclear power generation companies have also confirmed the ability to repeatedly perform remote radiation surveying with the RDS-32 meter mounted on the Elios 3. The equipment was demonstrated to detect and characterize hot spots on the turbine deck of a multi-gigawatt plant.

Data collected by the aerial monitoring system will be available live, during the drone’s flight, and afterward for post-processing.