Elios
The Elios 3 is a confined-space inspection drone manufactured by Flyability (Lausanne, Switzerland) designed for visual and non-destructive inspection in GPS-denied, inaccessible indoor environments. Equipped with onboard LiDAR, camera, IMU, and optional payloads such as ultrasound NDT and flammable gas sensors, the system operates under supervised-autonomous control with human pilot oversight.
Overview and Use Cases
The Elios 3 is a confined-space inspection drone developed for operation in GPS-denied and inaccessible indoor environments where conventional drones and human inspection pose safety or logistical challenges. Primary use cases include visual inspection and non-destructive testing in mines, industrial tanks, boilers, pipelines, and other confined infrastructure. The system is designed to reduce inspection costs, improve worker safety, and enable access to environments otherwise difficult or impossible for human entry.
Key Capabilities
- Inspection modes: Visual inspection via integrated camera; non-destructive testing via optional ultrasound NDT payload; flammable gas detection via optional sensor
- Autonomy features: Smart Return-to-Home, Autonomous Repeat Flight, and obstacle avoidance to support pilot operations
- Pilot role: Human operator conducts initial mapping and inspection flights; autonomy features reduce cognitive load and enable repeatable mission execution
- Operational model: Supervised-autonomous system; autonomy designed to support rather than replace pilot control
- LiDAR and imaging: Onboard LiDAR combined with camera and inertial measurement unit (IMU) for spatial awareness and data capture
Specifications
- Flight time (standard battery): 9 minutes 10 seconds
- Flight time (high-capacity battery): 13 minutes 30 seconds (approximately 50% increase); available from June 26, 2025
- Onboard sensors: LiDAR, camera, IMU
- Optional payloads: Ultrasound NDT, flammable gas sensor
Manufacturer
Flyability, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
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