Flyability announces UT probe payload for Elios 3 in partnership with Cygnus
09/04/2024
Flyability, a market leader in confined-space drones, has announced a new ultrasonic thickness measurement (UTM) payload for its flagship drone the Elios 3. The payload was developed in partnership with Cygnus Instruments, a global leader in ultrasonic testing (UT) technology, to create a product that supports certified UT inspectors.
The new live A-scan UT payload is designed for spot thickness measurements of steel in ship hulls, inside tanks and between pipe ranks, among many other applications. With UT critical to many inspection processes, this new payload presents a safer means of accessing thickness measurement locations (TMLs). The Elios 3 can enter confined spaces or easily reach TML points at height, completing wall thickness gauging or corrosion surveys quickly and safely. The ultrasonic probe is mounted on a smart arm featuring a laser pointer that provides visual guidance to precisely aim at measurement points. The arm has mounting and shaping options that can adapt to the complexity of industrial settings. A remotely operated couplant dispenser ensures optimal ultrasound transmission to the material under test. Each measurement can be location-tagged on a digital twin of the asset for ease of analysis. The Elios 3 can also carry a cleaning module to prepare test surfaces for measurement.
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| The new live A-scan UT payload presents a safer means of accessing thickness measurement locations |
“Since our first projects with our oil & gas, maritime and chemical industry customers, the ability to perform UTM in addition to visual inspections has been one of the most requested features. The complexity of this challenge involved four years of product development and research that was contingent on the Elios 3’s unique design. Now, we can offer a reliable, safe and effective UTM alternative for places unreachable with scaffolding, crawlers or cherry pickers,” said Patrick Thévoz, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder of Flyability.
Quality and standard compliance have been central to the payload’s development. Robotics specialist Flyability describes the partnership with Cygnus as instrumental to the integration and application of ultrasonic measuring technology with the Elios 3, resulting in a unique product tailored for challenging inspection environments. Software integration with the Elios 3’s piloting app Cockpit allows for real-time visualisation and manual adjustment of the live A-scan and optional gates for each measurement.
Through-coating and automatic measurement modes are also available, along with a choice of twin-crystal piezo-composite transducers. Benefiting from Cygnus’s 40-year experience in UT markets, the payload empowers operations under ISO 16809 compliance and meets the highest standards of accuracy, quality and reliability in thickness gauging.
“Cygnus’s presence in the shipping and oil & gas markets has enabled us to listen to user needs over a long period. The call for aerial drone-based inspection started 20 years ago but with no credible solutions. Over the last ten years, Cygnus has observed this turn into a technology race to mount UT onto unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Now, we are privileged to collaborate on the ultrasonic thickness measurement payload for the Elios 3, where Flyability combines a wealth of engineering talent, extensive field testing and rigorous product validation. The partnership’s contribution to safer non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection, across many industries, comes at an important time,” said Lulu Crosthwaite-Eyre, Managing Director of Cygnus Instruments.
Flyability is a Swiss drone manufacturer with one goal in mind: no more humans doing dangerous jobs. Flyability drones are built to operate indoors, in complex and confined spaces. Flyability is headquartered in Paudex, Switzerland, alongside offices in China, Singapore and the USA.
Cygnus was founded in 1983 with an original product line for the NDT of ships’ hulls. With headquarters in the UK and offices in Singapore and the UAE, Cygnus specialises in making robust and simple-to-use ultrasonic testing equipment for all industries around the world.
www.flyability.com
www.cygnus-instruments.com
