Case Study: Nexus Rail achieves safer, faster shaft inspection and 3D mapping with Flyability Elios 3

Nexus Rail maps inaccessible shafts in 8 minutes with Flyability

Nexus Rail, an infrastructure maintenance company in the UK, faced the challenge of inspecting a narrow, inaccessible, and dusty shaft beneath the historic Newcastle Central Station for suspected water damage. Human entry was impossible, and traditional inspection methods posed significant safety hazards. They partnered with vendor Flyability and, following guidance from COPTRZ, deployed the Elios 3 drone to safely collect the necessary visual and LiDAR data.

The Flyability Elios 3 drone successfully navigated the complex and confined space, capturing all required data in a single eight-minute flight. This eliminated the need for confined space entry and avoided costly preparatory work like scaffolding. The data was quickly processed to create 3D maps and digital twins, allowing for precise defect analysis. The solution provided by Flyability resulted in significant time and cost savings, enhanced safety, and was so successful that Nexus Rail plans to purchase several Elios 3 drones for future use.

Nexus Rail