Flyability, an indoor drone solution provider, is collaborating with Mirion Technologies, a leading provider of radiation detection, measurement, analysis, and monitoring solutions. Through the new agreement, the Mirion RDS-32 radiation survey meter will be integrated into Flyability’s Elios 3 indoor drone.
The product integration will enable nuclear operators to collect accurate radiation data remotely by drone, allowing nuclear personnel to remain safely outside of irradiated areas during data collection. This data will be available live, during the drone’s flight, and afterward, for post-processing.
Patrick Thévoz, CEO of Flyability, said: “Mirion is a leading provider of radiation sensing technology. This collaboration will allow Flyability’s customers in the nuclear sector to leverage the very best data collection tools available for their work, helping to significantly reduce the need for workers to be exposed to harmful radiation or to the hazards of confined space entry for the purposes of conducting routine inspections.”
To test the use of the Mirion radiation survey meter within the Elios 3 drone, Flyability has partnered with the Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC), a contractor for the Department of Energy (DOE). It has also partnered with multiple Energy companies in the US and Europe.
The IEC project focused on the collection of LiDAR and radiation data inside a storage vault made to house radioactive waste. The mission was a success, providing the data needed to proceed with detailed planning for removing the waste.
Steve Mettler, Director of Product Management of Mirion Technologies, said: “Mirion is excited to collaborate with Flyability to improve radiation safety in nuclear facilities. The seamless integration of the compact RDS-32 radiation survey meter and the Elios 3 drone enables access to remote areas that otherwise would be hazardous. Mirion’s equipment is widely utilised in nuclear facilities so customers can leverage their current programs and operational familiarity to improve safety."
Other missions performed with leading nuclear power generation companies demonstrated the ability to repeatedly perform remote radiation surveying with the RDS-32 meter mounted on the Elios 3. The equipment was notably used to detect and characterise hot spots on the turbine deck of a multi-gigawatt plant.
Alexandre Meldem, Managing Director of the Americas at Flyability, said: “Over 80 per cent of US nuclear operators already use Flyability’s indoor drones for their visual inspections. The ability to provide these customers with top-of-the-line radiation sensing capabilities, via the agreement with Mirion, will significantly help improve their operations, and present an even greater ability to keep engineers safe by reducing their exposure to radiation. We are really looking forward to seeing this partnership flourish.”--OGN
