Further funding for UAVs in confined spaces projects

Two companies, Ice Nine Ltd and Heliguy, have been awarded Game Changers funding for a further 10-month project to develop their confined-space UAV technology.

In an ongoing effort to pursue safer and less costly clean-up of facilities, Sellafield Ltd is seeking an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that can access confined spaces and gather information in areas with no person access. Three companies showcased their technology inside a mock nuclear cell at Sellafield’s Centre of Excellence following a 12-week feasibility stage. Following the demonstration, Ice Nine Ltd and Heliguy were recognised as having potential for further development.

While the UAV industry continues to grow and evolve globally, the challenge for this specific application was to develop a drone small enough to inspect otherwise inaccessible, confined spaces. By modifying off-the-shelf components with a bespoke design and build, the key focus for these proof of concept projects is to create a smaller-scale drone still capable of maintaining stable flight and providing high-quality inspection footage.

In response to this challenge, heliguy™, an industry-leading drone specialist based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, are developing, testing and demonstrating a UAV with custom electronics and sensors within the significant size constraints specified. Their modified drone has GPS-denied stable flight, utilising time of flight sensors and optical flow, as well as built-in collision avoidance.

Ice Nine Ltd, a Birchwood-based robotics designer and manufacturer, are creating a small, confined-space drone loosely based on off-the-shelf products. By adding a variety of functionality, the team will now be developing, testing and demonstrating a drone with the aim of making inspections faster and safer on the Sellafield site.

The projects are expected to conclude next year, with potential benefits to Sellafield and the wider NDA estate.