January 23, 2023—After more than a year of meticulous planning and research, the Elios 3 drone successfully conducted a 3D scan of a radioactive waste storage vault built in the 1960s. This groundbreaking mission provided essential data for planning the safe removal of the waste. It is believed to be the first time a drone has ever been flown inside such a high-radiation environment. The mission took place in late November 2022 at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center on the Idaho National Laboratory Site in eastern Idaho. Over 50 personnel were involved, including those who set up a plastic tent over the vault to comply with FAA and Department of Energy (DOE) regulations. A crane was used to lift the vault’s lid and hatch, creating a controlled indoor environment for the flight. Flying into the irradiated vault was a high-stakes operation. If the drone was lost, it would not be recoverable. But the Elios 3 performed exceptionally well, collecting all the necessary LiDAR data in just seven minutes. A GeoSLAM expert was on-site to process the data in real-time, ensuring that the resulting 3D model met IEC's requirements. "The Elios 3 was able to gather all the data we needed despite the intense radiation levels," said Kevin Young, Principal Electrical Engineer at IEC. "This information was critical 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 solution to map the interior of the vault. The calcine, a granular form of high-level radioactive waste, had been stored in massive 20-foot-tall stainless-steel bins without any plans for removal. Without accurate mapping, it was impossible to plan the retrieval safely. IEC developed a remote retrieval method involving drilling, robotic welding, and pneumatic transfer through pipes. However, without detailed blueprints or a 3D map, they couldn’t determine where to drill. After evaluating several options—including an articulating arm and a helium blimp—IEC chose the Elios 3 for its durability and maneuverability in tight spaces. To ensure the drone could survive the harsh conditions, IEC tested it under extreme radiation levels of up to 10,000 Roentgen per hour. They also created a life-sized replica of the vault for pilot training, simulating real-world conditions before the actual mission. "After more than a year of preparation, it was incredibly rewarding to see this project come to fruition," said Alexandre Meldem, Managing Director of Flyability North America. "The Elios 3 proved its value in capturing data from places that are otherwise inaccessible. This mission highlights the potential of our technology in supporting complex inspection and planning tasks." Following two successful LiDAR flights, IEC conducted a third test with a heavier drone equipped with a dosimeter. Unfortunately, the drone lost lift and landed on top of a storage bin, getting stuck on a piece of angle iron. Despite this, it transmitted a maximum radiation reading of 7 Gy/h before the battery died. Experts concluded that the drone posed no risk to safety or the integrity of the vault. Now that the vault has been mapped, the next step is to plan the removal of the calcine, which IEC aims to begin this year. There are six vaults on the site containing a total of 4,400 cubic meters of waste, all of which must be removed to complete the project. For more details, read the full case study. --- About Flyability Flyability is a pioneer in confined space inspection drones, developing innovative technology that allows inspectors to collect data remotely in dangerous environments. Since 2014, Flyability has become a trusted provider of internal inspection solutions, offering advanced hardware and software for professionals across multiple industries. With offices in Switzerland, China, Singapore, and the U.S., Flyability serves nearly 1,000 clients in over 60 countries. Their technology is used in sectors such as Power Generation, Oil & Gas, Mining, Wastewater Infrastructure, Chemicals, Maritime, and Utilities. Learn more at www.flyability.com / @fly_ability Contact: info@flyability.com, +41 21 311 55 00 About the Idaho Environmental Coalition In 2021, the Idaho Environmental Coalition, LLC (IEC) was awarded a ten-year, $6.4 billion contract by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage cleanup operations at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site. Led by Jacobs, IEC works alongside partners like North Wind Portage and a network of small business subcontractors, including Navarro, ORT, and Spectra Tech. Together, they focus on accelerating environmental cleanup and reducing DOE's liabilities while supporting the INL mission. More information: www.idaho-environmental.com Countersunk Neodymium Magnets,Neodymium Countersunk Ring Magnets,Neodymium Countersunk Magnets,Neodymium Countersunk Pot Magnet Dongguan Zhenglong Magnet Co., Ltd , https://www.zlmagent.com