ECA Group successfully demonstrates to AREVA the capabilities of its UAV IT180 for radiological surv

Wednesday, December 13 2017

Capabilities of the IT180 airborne drone were demonstrated to support AREVA’s continuous efforts in meeting high environmental standards in the framework of their mining and power activities.

ECA Group’s radiometric monitoring solution was deployed at an AREVA’s pilot test site which was selected to evaluate data quality of ECA Group’ solution and its global worthiness AREVA.

Through this aerial work, AREVA evaluated all the operational performances of the 2-hour endurance IT180 gasoline UAV platform, flying over a large area in fully automated mode, according to a pre-defined grid flight plan and despite high speed wind gusts.

The UAV IT180-120 airborne drone was configured with a gamma probe sensor capable to collect radiological signal intensity, from as low as 2 meters above ground level, to detect surface radioactivity (within few tens of centimeters underneath the surface).

In addition to data quality, the main benefit as seen by AREVA is to get access to an environmental monitoring solution which can smartly fit within the already existing monitoring solution portfolio, thus offering a high value complementary tool.

Demonstration has therefore been done that a sound solution exists for surveying sites that are either:

Too large or dangerous for being reasonably and safely covered by ground crews
Too small for meaningful usage of airborne solutions such as helicopters or airplanes, which are less environmental-friendly, less flexible, more costly, and not suited to safely fly at few meters above ground level.

Overall, the UAV IT180-120 unmanned airborne drone positions itself as a quite unique platform for inspection and survey in many different scientific fields. ECA Group supports its customer’s creativity and needs when aerial means make sense from safety, cost and speed perspectives, in order to eventually make valuable decisions.