Azur Drones and AVNIR Energy drone in a box for detecting radioactivity
Azur Drones, a world leader in autonomous surveillance and inspection drones, and AVNIR Energy, a specialist in engineering in the nuclear energy sector, are combining their expertise to develop the first autonomous aerial solution for detecting radioactivity. This innovation is intended for environmental monitoring of nuclear sites and to ensure the safety of these sites, both in France and abroad.
Azur Drones and AVNIR Energy have announced a particularly innovative development: the integration of a radioactivity sensor into the Skeyetech drone-in-a-box solution deployed by Azur Drones. Skeyetech is a resident autonomous drone capable of carrying out its missions without a remote pilot, day or night.
It is the first drone system to be approved in Europe for Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) flights without a remote pilot. Thanks to this collaboration, Skeyetech now embarks AVNIR Energy’s Ionised Zone Inspection Device (DIZI), creating the first autonomous vector capable of performing detection missions on operational nuclear sites.
Jacques Charvin, Director of AVNIR Energy, explains, “the DIZI sensor is much more than just a Geiger counter, it is a scintillation detector capable of detecting, measuring and identifying the radioisotopes present. We are delighted to have succeeded in integrating this state-of-the-art sensor on an autonomous drone”.
“The integration of the DIZI sensor on the Skeyetech solution offers the possibility of carrying out radioactivity readings at any location on a site in complete safety. As a result, we are actively participating in the environmental monitoring of nuclear sites and contributing to their safety”, adds Nicolas BILLECOCQ, Chief Operating Officer of Azur Drones.
Conducting real-time readings during its routine surveillance, the solution can also be deployed in seconds to a point of alert. In the event of an incident that compromises human access locally, Skeyetech-DIZI can be remotely controlled and deployed to conduct reconnaissance and site inspection missions.
Currently being rolled out in France on a site belonging to a leading French nuclear industry player, the new Skeyetech-DIZI solution is already attracting interest from several nuclear operators, both in France and abroad.
“We are proud of the collaboration between Azur Drones and AVNIR Energy, which provides the nuclear industry with an innovative and truly value-creating solution”, concludes Jean-Marc Crépin, Chief Executive Officer of Azur Drones.
About Azur Drones
Azur Drones is one of the world leaders in drone-in-a-box solutions for surveillance and inspection.
The company’s SKEYETECH system was developed to provide customers with a patented autonomous drone solution designed for sensitive sites security and operations support. Fully integrated into existing security systems, SKEYETECH is operational 24/7 to carry out specific checks, perimeter patrols, inspection missions or assist in crisis situations. Skeyetech is today the most deployed autonomous drone system in the world with over 150 users and 15,000 operational flights.
Based in Bordeaux, Paris, Cologne and Dubai, Azur Drones collaborates with well-established contractors in Europe and in the Middle East.For more information, visit www.azurdrones.com
About Avnir Energy
Based in Saint-Vulbas, France, AVNIR Energy is specialized in mechanical engineering for the energy area of nuclear, oil, gas, hydraulics, thermal and renewable.
AVNIR Energy contributes to enhancing the performances of its customers and guides them on all their sensitive projects. Our engineers and technical experts provide, in support of your team, expertise in fluid mechanics, in thermal resistance to static, seismic and vibration loads, in acoustics and especially in the fields of ionizing and
electromagnetic radiation.
Our experience and expertise allow us to answer your requests of studies calculations, tests and facilities commissioning following your specifications.
Visit the company’s website at https://avnir-energy.com
