Flyability Elios 2
The Flyability Elios 2 is UAV Imaging's confined-space platform — the airframe that flies inside structures where every other drone in the fleet cannot. The carbon-fibre protective cage isolates the propellers from contact, so the aircraft can bump against walls, beams and equipment without losing flight. That single design choice removes most of the human-entry risk from internal inspection of tanks, pressure vessels, sewers, mine shafts and ore passes.
Specifications
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Camera | 4K UHD, 12 MP stills, 1080p video, low-light optimized |
| Thermal | FLIR Lepton 3.5, 160 x 120, radiometric on Elios 2 RAD model |
| Lighting | 10,000 lumen onboard LED ring |
| Flight time | 10 minutes (typical, varies with payload + lighting) |
| Protective cage | 400 mm diameter carbon-fibre lattice, collision-tolerant |
| Positioning | Optic-flow + IMU + lidar altimeter; no GPS dependency (GPS-denied operation) |
| Stabilization | Distance lock, altitude lock, heading lock |
| Operating temperature | 0°C to +50°C |
| Mass | 1.45 kg with battery |
| Software | Cockpit pilot tablet + Inspector post-flight reporting suite |
| Remote ID | Not required — indoor / GPS-denied operation is exempt |
How UAV Imaging uses it
- Storage tank internal inspection — crude tanks, water tanks, fertilizer storage, asphalt tanks
- Pressure vessel inspection — separators, fractionators, reactors, knock-out drums
- Pipe rack and pipe interior — large-diameter pipe runs, pigging stations
- Mine shaft and ore-pass inspection — underground inspection without rope-access crew exposure
- Stack and chimney internal inspection — post-cooldown flare and stack interior condition
- Sewer and lagoon infrastructure — municipal lift stations, lagoon outlet structures, large culverts
- Confined-space pre-entry scout — map the interior before a planned human entry, reducing surprise
What it replaces in the field
A typical tank internal inspection without the Elios 2 requires a confined-space entry permit, a standby rescue team, atmospheric monitoring, scaffolding or rope access for elevated inspection points, and a trained inspector inside the tank for several hours. The Elios 2 flies the same internal geometry in roughly 45-90 minutes of on-site time with no human inside the structure. The deliverable — 4K video, thermal record, damage callouts, defect map — is generally accepted by inspectors and insurers for visual general-condition inspection.
How it compares to the Matrice 300 RTK
The Matrice 300 RTK is the outdoor industrial workhorse — long flight time, RTK accuracy, weather-sealed, multi-payload bay. The Elios 2 is the indoor / GPS-denied specialist — collision-tolerant cage, no GPS dependency, short flight time. They are complementary platforms, not competing ones. UAV Imaging dispatches whichever airframe matches the deliverable.
Compliance
- Transport Canada Advanced RPAS pilots on every flight
- Remote ID exempt indoor / GPS-denied operation (no signal can broadcast inside structures)
- $5M aviation liability covers UAV Imaging operations
- ISN, ComplyWorks, Avetta registration applies to facility access, not aircraft