PRODUCT FOCUS
be an indication of where any potential
problems are. For instance, it has
been used on high-voltage power lines
where there are slight arcing issues.
The thermal camera picked up that hot
spot immediately; it shows up incredibly
bright and orange, compared to its
surroundings, as a source of immediate
identification.”
“In terms of civils works such as
large concrete structures, these thermal
cameras can pick up different areas of
heat that can indicate potential areas
of spalling. Like where there is an air
pocket behind the concrete due to
spalling, that area is cooler than the
immediate surroundings. We can then
investigate further by means of rope
access,” says Zinn.
Navigating inaccessible spaces
The drone can be brought into usually
inaccessible places up to many hundred
metres beyond the line of sight, due
to the fact that it is equipped with a
wireless communications system with
live video feedback.
Zinn explains that the Elios SkyEye
drone is equipped with cutting-edge
wireless communication that provides
live feedback from the drone back to
the pilot, often over distances of 150m.
“That live feed sends a very clear and
detailed picture back to the pilot. So,
he can ‘see’ where he is flying; and
where problems have been identified,
he can take photographs. The fact that
the feedback is live allows for a client
standing there with us to observe
exactly what the pilot and the drone
are seeing and advise accordingly.
The wireless communication feature
is therefore a critical component,”
emphasises Zinn.
“The main issue with this specific
project was that it was an incredibly
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difficult area to access. Here the
collision-tolerance feature of the drone
meant it was able to access the affected
area quickly and reliably,” says Zinn.
The new Elios SkyEye drone has a few
aspects to its collision-tolerance feature,
one being the carbon-fibre frame around
the actual drone. The frame protects the
blades, payload, cameras and lighting
system from damage, and is one of the
unique features of the drone. Aside from
being collision-tolerant, the drone is
designed to withstand a certain degree
of collision. For example, flying into
a tight corner where contact is made
with the surface being inspected, the
pilot can manoeuvre around it and focus
the camera on whatever he wants to
look at without the drone actually being
damaged, which is very difficult to do
with other drones.”
Zinn adds that a new feature includes
software that have distance sensors
which either allow you to manoeuvre
the cage or framework right up against
the structure, or if you want to stay a set
distance away you can pre-set that. For
example, the operator can programme
the drone to keep a distance of exactly
1m away from the surface, and fly left
or right or up and down, which prevents
the drone from going too close.
Flight path challenges
Zinn says that one of the biggest
challenges is probably where the drone
gets snagged on a piece of wire or stuck
somewhere and then the operator is
unable to fly it home. They overcome
this by proper planning and preparation
and ensuring a high level of operator
competency.
In general, the operators draft a
proper flight plan before they fly, so
they know exactly where they will be
flying, when they will be flying and
the potential dangers or snag points.
Plotted on the flight plan is how much
time they need to get to the target
area, the battery life available, and how
often batteries need to be changed.
Hence, just through proper planning,
most of the challenges associated
with extremely inaccessible areas can
be overcome. Of course, with a range
extender, the drone can also venture
a lot further than what is normally
possible.
Zinn stresses that what is
important is the natural synergy
between drones and the rope access.
The Elios SkyEye drone picks up or
identifies problems that require further
investigation, following which, rope-
access technicians can carry out any
repairs or remedial actions that may be
required. “Drones provide an alternative
‘pre-means-of-access’, as well as
supplementing our rope access and
other services,” he says.
Professionalism
Zinn says, “To qualify to fly the Elios Sky
Eye drone, we sent our chief pilot to the
manufacturer – Flyability in Switzerland.
He obtained all of his qualifications over
there, and we then trained the new
pilots here in South Africa. The fully-
qualified and trained pilot means that
the inspection work itself is carried out
rapidly and professionally, producing
real-time results for the client.
“The Elios SkyEye drone has
dramatically improved the health and
safety of on-site crews in projects such
as this one, allowing specialised teams
to enter only once the situation has
been thoroughly inspected, analysed
and verified. If need be, rope access
is then used for teams to carry out
additional inspection services such
as ultrasonic wall thickness testing or
other non-destructive testing methods,”
he concludes.
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