DOE Site Uses Flyability’s Elios 3 Drone to Map Radioactive Waste Depot
DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby
FlyabilityAfter more than a year of preparation and research, the Elios 3 has successfully completed a 3D mapping operation of a radioactive waste depot. The information gained from the mapping project is very important in planning the decommissioning of the vault. This is believed to be the first time a drone has penetrated a high-level radioactive waste repository.
Mission was conducted last November at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center at the Idaho National Laboratory site by a team of about 50 people. The team covered the top of the vault with a plastic tent to ensure missions were conducted indoors, in accordance with FAA regulations and the Department. Energy (DOE) requirements and who operated the crane to lift the vault lid and hatch.
If the drone is lost during a mission, it cannot be retrieved.However, Elios 3 was a success and DOE contractors Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC) was able to collect all the necessary LiDAR data and create a 3D map of the vault in just seven minutes of flight. An expert from 3D mapping software company GeoSLAM was in attendance, processing his LiDAR data in GeoSLAM’s software and ensuring the model met the needs of the IEC.
“The Elios 3 was able to collect all the data we needed despite the high radiation levels in the vault,” said Kevin Young, IEC Chief Electrical Engineer. “Obtaining this data was essential to the safe progress of the project. The mission was a resounding success.”
For the past two years, IEC’s Calcine Retrieval Project has been looking for a solution to 3D map the interior of vaults. Granular radioactive waste, called calcine, was originally stored in 20-foot-tall stainless steel containers inside the vault, but there was no plan to remove it, and efforts to remove it have been difficult.
IEC had devised a remote solution that drilled into the vault, robotically welded the pipe to the top of the bin, and cut it with a plasma cutter. After installing the pipe, the calcine is pneumatically transferred. However, without detailed blueprints and a 3D map of the vault’s interior, it’s impossible to know where to drill the holes.
After choosing Elios 3 as the solution, IEC tested the drone in a high radiation environment. There, they were exposed to radiation up to 10,000 roentgens per hour and confirmed that they could operate inside the vault. In addition, IEC built a life-size replica of the vault to train pilots in an environment that simulates where pilots would actually operate.
Alexandre Meldem, Managing Director of Flyability North America, said: “We are always looking for ways to leverage Flyability technology to collect data that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to collect. It’s a prime example of the benefits we can offer to support your plan.”
After two successful LiDAR data-gathering flights, the IEC mounted a dosimeter on the drone and added weight for a third test flight. After entering the vault, the drone was unable to generate enough lift to remain airborne and descended onto the chest, catching on an angle steel shard from which all attempts to free it were unsuccessful. The drone transmitted a maximum radiation reading of 7 Gy/h (700 rad/h) from above the vessel before the battery died. A comprehensive analysis by ICP subject matter experts found that the drone could be left safely on top of the storage box without any issues.
After successful 3D mapping, the next step in operations is to plan calcine removal, which the IEC plans to begin this year. The site has a total of 6 vaults storing a total of 4,400 cubic meters of calcine.
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Ian attended Dominican University in California and graduated with a BA in English in 2019. With his lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and keen interest in technology, he now contributes to his DroneLife as a staff writer.
Miriam McNabb is editor-in-chief of DRONELIFE, CEO of professional drone services marketplace JobForDrones, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and drone regulatory environment. With her 3,000+ articles focused on the commercial drone space, Miriam is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and high tech she has over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, please email Miriam.
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