Elios 3's Indoor 3D Mapping Aids Lausanne's Water Department Inspections

Lausanne's Water Department utilized the Elios 3 to generate accurate 3D maps of its infrastructure, aiding them in planning, monitoring changes over time, and performing essential maintenance tasks.

In a Nutshell

Introduction

The city of Lausanne, Switzerland, is renowned as an innovation hub. The Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), a university focused on innovation and research, spawns numerous tech startups each year, many of which choose Lausanne as their base. In total, over a hundred startups call Lausanne home, including Flyability.

Given this environment, Lausanne frequently adopts cutting-edge technology developed locally, collaborating with startups to integrate new tools into its operations. As part of this initiative, Lausanne’s Water Department conducted trials with Flyability’s Elios 3 to explore ways to enhance its internal inspections.

Customer Needs

Lausanne’s Water Department manages the entire water cycle for the city, overseeing sewage operations as well as maintaining, purifying, and storing drinking water.

Part of their responsibilities includes regular monitoring and upkeep of all city water-related assets. This entails periodic inspections where city inspectors search for defects within the city’s water systems that might need attention or further observation.

The main assets the Water Department inspects regularly include:

• Wastewater evacuation vaults. Inspecting these vaults poses risks due to harmful gases, biohazards, and confined space entry. Staff try to enter them only when absolutely necessary, carefully planning their entry and using protective equipment like gas masks.
• Water tanks. Inspecting tanks storing drinking water requires entering confined spaces and working at heights on scaffolding, adding additional risks for inspectors.

Other assets the Water Department inspects include storm overflows, spillways, drinking water reservoirs, manifolds, ovoid tanks, and evacuation collectors.

Tracking the progression of defects over time is critical during inspections. Common concerns include waste accumulation, structural collapses, and the integrity of system components.

Inspectors revisit defect locations identified earlier to assess whether they've worsened. Knowing the exact location of each defect is vital for effective monitoring.

Solution

Inspectors at Lausanne’s Water Department decided to test the Elios 3 for:

• Creating detailed 3D models of internal spaces to aid maintenance, including reconstructing original structures and tracking changes over time via digital twins.
• Precise defect localization, enabling inspectors to return to specific defect locations using 3D models generated from Elios 3 data.
• Improved safety by avoiding confined space entry and working at height on scaffolding.

Results

Over six months, the Water Department used the Elios 3 for several inspections.

These trial missions were successful, meeting all requirements for 3D mapping, remote data collection, and pinpointing defect locations for precise long-term monitoring.

“The Elios 3’s 3D maps let us model any structure we need, whether it’s a storm overflow or a drinking water reservoir. We can then use these maps to simulate, reconstruct precise plans, and track defect locations exactly.”

- Sébastien Ramelet, Project Manager Engineer/Water Protection Inspector for the City of Lausanne Water Department

Two examples of inspections conducted with the Elios 3 include:

1. Tank Slab Inspection

The Water Department completed a tank slab inspection with the Elios 3 in half a day, cutting inspection time from five days. Much of that time was spent building and moving scaffolding. Without the need for scaffolding, the Elios 3 made the inspection faster and safer.

2. Storm Spillway Inspection

The Water Department inspected a storm spillway using the Elios 3 to create a 3D model. Inspectors stayed above ground while collecting data, eliminating spillway entry hazards.

The 3D model created from Elios 3 LiDAR data was used to simulate the spillway, aiding maintenance decisions.

From these inspections and others, the Water Department gained multiple benefits from using the Elios 3:

• Indoor 3D Maps. The Elios 3’s 3D maps provided valuable data for defect monitoring and simulating wastewater structures over time.
• Long-term defect monitoring. The Elios 3’s 3D maps allow inspectors to geolocate every defect, enabling precise future monitoring. Video footage lets inspectors revisit specific locations to observe changes over time.
• Safety. The Elios 3 eliminated the need for inspectors to enter dangerous confined spaces or work at height, significantly improving safety.
• Speed. The Elios 3 reduced inspection times for several tasks. For instance, tank inspections went from a week to half a day, saving four and a half days of work by eliminating scaffolding setup.
• User-friendliness. Staff unfamiliar with drones learned to operate the Elios 3 quickly after less than an hour of training.
• Data quality. The Elios 3’s visual data matched traditional inspections but ensured full coverage and stored all data in 4K, reducing the risk of missing defects or forgetting their locations.

Conclusion

Lausanne’s Water Department has decided to fully adopt the Elios 3 for internal inspections alongside traditional methods. The extensive testing they conducted allowed them to establish a robust drone program and associated practices, enabling regular Elios 3 use across their maintenance efforts.

Over time, the 3D models created with the Elios 3 will greatly improve structural monitoring, providing a permanent digital record of defect locations and developments, ultimately extending the lifespan of their assets.

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