Case Study: Using Elios 3 in an Environmental Emergency

Inspection drone technology offers a rapid response when an environmental emergency strikes. In such cases, speed is of the essence – but the ability to accurately assess the situation, often in dangerous conditions – is often what hampers recovery efforts.

An increasingly volatile global environment presents evermore challenging weather conditions. Storms, flooding, earthquakes and similar scenarios often cause extensive damage to infrastructures. One example that requires the fastest of reactions is when the integrity of a sewage infrastructure is interrupted. This is magnified if it’s in a highly populated area, potentially presenting a severe health and environmental health risk.

The rate at which such a situation can be assessed is of the utmost importance. The following looks at one such event and the solution that prevented a more widescale environmental disaster.

The Event and Asset

Violent storms in Barcelona, Spain, caused damage to a critical element of the sewage infrastructure. A wastewater interceptor that transported waste products from 5 city areas was damaged. This resulted in a leakage of raw sewage directly into the Mediterranean Sea at the rate of 500 cubic metres per second.

The company responsible for Barcelona’s sewage network, Aigües de Barcelona, Empresa Metropolitana de Gestió del Cicle Integral de l’Aigua, S.A, immediately began work constructing a bypass pipe. However, without detailed data on the exact location of damage, it was impossible to accurately determine how long this should be.

The pipe itself measured approximately 3 metres in diameter and 1.8 metres high and was of a vaulted, concrete construction. Only part of the damaged pipe was exposed, meaning inspectors had no idea of the extent of the problem.

The Challenges

Poor visualisation of the damaged pipe was only the first challenge. The speed of the sewage flow meant that it was around waist height – far too strong for the option of a manned inspection or ground robotic analysis.

To build an effective bypass, inspectors needed to know the exact location and extent of damage at either end of the pipe. Without this, the risk was that the bypass would be too long (and take unnecessary time to construct) or would join the pipe too early and risk another structural rupture further downstream.

The Solution

Traditional sewer inspections rely on either manned entry, remote CCTV cameras mounted on sleds/rafts, or robotic tools with CCTV, LiDAR, SONAR or similar.

The nature of this incident meant that none of these were solutions. The remote options obviously couldn’t be sent into the torrent of sewage. Human entry was also an impossibility – the speed of the flow would immediately wash a person away and there was no way of knowing if a further cave-in was imminent.

The answer was quickly determined to be the advanced inspection drone – Elios 3. This highly versatile drone provides extremely accurate navigation, even in the tightest of spaces. Advanced navigation and inflight stability mean it can operate out of the line of sight and intelligent sensors in combination with its small size and collision-tolerant construction meant it could safely and quickly be deployed into the wreckage of the sewerage pipe.

With two short flights that entered the pipe from the closest inspection manholes both upstream and downstream of the damaged area, the Elios 3 returned data that mapped the exact extent of the break. This included a large crack across the top that was liable to cave in, something that would have presented a significant risk to a human-led inspection.

In addition, the data provided valuable information about further damage caused at the base of the pipe where sand had retreated. Armed with this information, repair work was quickly carried out in the optimal location to stop the escape of raw sewage. It also meant that the construction could be accurately built at the optimal length for speed and safety.

Using Elios 3 for Sewer and Wastewater Inspection

The nimble Elios 3 outshines virtually every other inspection option in scenarios such as sewer systems. Not only can they enter small, dangerous spaces, but the advanced navigation and flight control performed by a single remote operator allows it to be deployed into even the highest flow situation.

Other advantages include:

• Immediate deployment: No advance preparation is needed – the drone can be flown straight into the environment. In regular sewage inspection scenarios, this means inspections can often be carried out without having to shut down operations. In an emergency scenario, valuable hours are saved allowing rescue operations to commence quickly and efficiently.
• Low cost: Drone inspection typically saves at least 40% on the price of a regular inspection. It only requires two operators – the first to control the drone and a second safety officer at ground level. The Elios 3 is also far cheaper to use than other robotic technology, potentially eliminating the need for other options altogether.
• Better data capture: The Elios 3 in combination with Inspector 4.0 software returns far more accurate data than human-led inspections. Accuracy is measured at around double that of a more traditional method.
• Enhanced safety: Removes the need for confined space entry and all the associated risks this brings. In sewage and wastewater situations, noxious gases and rushing water require the use of scuba gear and PPE for human inspection. No such elements are necessary when using Elios 3.
• Data localisation: Inspector 4.0 software pinpoints the exact location of any defects and can be quickly and easily shared with others for evaluation.
• Unrivalled visual data: Elios 3 captures a far higher level of visual data than other robots or CCTV can manage.
• Easier access: The small size of Elios 3 means it can be deployed through the smallest of entry points. The use of alternative robots is often constrained by their size, something that drone access effectively overcomes.
• Extended inspection range: Elios 3 can be fitted with a range extender to allow it to fly even further from the operator. This range far exceeds the range of other robotic options, such as a floating CCTV or crawler.

The Elios 3 is an advanced drone that’s revolutionising a variety of inspection tasks. Contact the Nexxis team today to arrange a demonstration to understand more and see how this advanced drone could upscale your inspection processes.