January 23, 2023—After more than a year of preparation and research, the Elios 3 drone successfully completed a groundbreaking 3D mapping mission inside a radioactive waste storage vault built in the 1960s. This marked a major milestone, as it is believed to be the first time a drone has ever flown inside such a high-radiation environment. The data collected will play a critical role in planning the safe removal of radioactive materials from the site.
The mission took place in late November 2022 at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, located on the Idaho National Laboratory Site in eastern Idaho. A team of about 50 individuals worked together to prepare for the flight, including setting up a protective plastic tent over the vault to meet FAA and Department of Energy (DOE) safety regulations. A crane was also used to lift the vault’s heavy lid and hatch, allowing access to the interior.
Flying the drone into the irradiated space was a high-stakes operation. If the Elios 3 had been lost, it would have been nearly impossible to retrieve. Despite the risks, the drone performed exceptionally well, capturing all the necessary LiDAR data in just seven minutes. A GeoSLAM expert was on-site to process the data immediately, ensuring that the resulting 3D model met IEC’s exacting standards.
"The Elios 3 was able to collect all the data we needed, even in the high radiation levels inside the vault," said Kevin Young, Principal Electrical Engineer at IEC. "This data was essential for moving the project forward safely. The mission was a huge success."
Over the past two years, IEC’s Calcine Retrieval Project had been searching for an effective way to map the interior of the vault. The calcine—high-level radioactive waste in granulated form—had been stored in large, 20-foot-tall stainless-steel bins without any plan for its removal. Without accurate maps or blueprints, it was nearly impossible to develop a safe removal strategy.
IEC explored several options before settling on the Elios 3. Alternatives included using an articulating arm or a helium-filled blimp, but the Elios 3 proved to be the most reliable and efficient solution. To ensure it could withstand the harsh conditions, IEC tested the drone under extreme radiation levels of up to 10,000 Roentgen per hour. They even built a full-scale replica of the vault for pilot training, simulating real-world conditions.
"After over a year of preparation, it's incredibly rewarding to see this project come to fruition," said Alexandre Meldem, Managing Director of Flyability North America. "Our technology is designed to gather data in places where humans can't go. This mission is a perfect example of how the Elios 3 can help with complex inspections and planning in confined, hazardous spaces."
Following two successful LiDAR flights, IEC conducted a third test with a heavier payload—a dosimeter attached to the drone. Unfortunately, during this flight, the drone struggled to maintain altitude and eventually became stuck on a piece of angle iron. It transmitted a maximum radiation reading of 7 Gy/h before the battery died. Experts later confirmed that leaving the drone in place posed no risk to human safety or the structural integrity of the vault.
Now that the vault has been fully mapped, the next step is to begin planning the removal of the calcine. IEC plans to start this process this year. In total, six vaults on the site hold 4,400 cubic meters of calcine, all of which must be removed to complete the project.
For more details, you can read the full case study on the mission.
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About Flyability
Flyability is a pioneer in the development of drones designed for confined space inspections. Their innovative technology allows inspectors to collect data remotely in dangerous environments, reducing the need for direct human involvement. Since launching in 2014, Flyability has become a trusted provider of internal inspection solutions, offering cutting-edge hardware and software to improve safety, reduce downtime, and lower costs for internal inspections across industries.
With offices in Switzerland, China, Singapore, and the U.S., Flyability serves nearly 1,000 clients in over 60 countries. Their technology is widely used in sectors such as power generation, oil and gas, mining, wastewater infrastructure, chemicals, maritime, and utilities.
More information: www.flyability.com / @fly_ability
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About the Idaho Environmental Coalition
In 2021, the Idaho Environmental Coalition, LLC (IEC) was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage cleanup operations at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site under a ten-year, $6.4 billion contract. Led by Jacobs, IEC partners with North Wind Portage and includes a network of small business subcontractors such as Navarro, ORT, and Spectra Tech. Together, they provide DOE with a proven team capable of accelerating cleanup efforts and reducing environmental liabilities at the Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP).
Learn more at www.idaho-environmental.com.
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