Kathmandu, September 6
Switzerland has provided Nepal with an advanced drone to support ongoing search and rescue operations inside hydropower project tunnels following the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa.
The semi-autonomous drone, provided at the request of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, was handed over to the Nepal Electricity Authority on Saturday. According to the Swiss Embassy in Nepal, a Swiss humanitarian aid expert who arrived in Nepal handed over the equipment to the authority.
The embassy said the drone was donated by Flyability, a renowned Swiss drone manufacturer. The drone is specifically designed to fly inside narrow, dark and hazardous tunnels and other areas that are difficult for people to access.
What is the Flyability drone and what can it do?
Swiss company Flyability primarily manufactures specialised drones from its Elios series for inspecting confined and hazardous structures such as tunnels, collapsed mines and industrial pipelines.
The drone can continue flying even after collisions. It is equipped with a strong spherical carbon-fibre cage around its exterior, allowing it to withstand impacts with tunnel walls or debris without crashing. It can regain its balance and continue flying after a collision.
The drone can also operate in complete darkness. Powerful LED lights and a thermal camera enable it to transmit clear video from even pitch-dark tunnels to a control room. As the thermal camera can detect body heat, the drone can be particularly useful in locating people trapped alive under debris.
Another key feature is 3D mapping. Advanced sensors and LiDAR technology on the drone can rapidly create a three-dimensional map of debris and damage inside tunnels.
Technicians say the equipment could prove highly effective in flooded or collapsed tunnels where it would be too dangerous for people to enter. The drone can be deployed to determine the condition and whereabouts of missing people while helping ensure the safety of rescue personnel.
