Steinmüller Africa’s drone technology

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July 2025 Industrial Wireless

Steinmüller Africa has boosted its intelligent engineering services by adding the Elios 3 caged inspection drone to its fleet. This upgrade enhances inspection capabilities and helps cut costs for power stations by minimising reliance on human inspection services.

“The drone is designed for inspections in dangerous, cluttered and confined spaces. It’s a safer, more accurate way to gather information in hazardous areas,” says Carel van Aswegen, group QC/NDT manager for Steinmüller Africa.

“Using this drone enables us to significantly reduce downtime for inspections, sometimes by as much as 50%. It not only provides accurate data but is also easily accessible. We can examine damage in boilers once they cool down to around 50°C, avoiding the wait for permits needed for human entry or the hassle of setting up scaffolding and sky climbers. Additionally, the drone pinpoints damage locations with remarkable precision.”

Developed to be more than just a robust drone, the Elios 3 is the first indoor mapping and inspection drone capable of transforming asset data into digital insights. Its carbon fibre protective cage provides 360-degree collision tolerance, allowing it to navigate tight, complex environments without risk of damage. The drone’s advanced stabilisation system ensures smooth, stable flight even in turbulent conditions. This is crucial for capturing high-quality visual and thermal data.

Equipped with a 4K camera, flight control sensors, inertial measurement unit, magnetometer, barometer, thermal imaging sensor, three computer vision cameras, time-of-flight distance sensor and LiDAR technology, the Elios 3 delivers high-resolution imagery and enables precise 3D mapping, even underground. This allows for the creation of accurate digital twins of inspected assets, with intuitive reporting on a 3D model and real-time situational awareness built into the piloting app.

The Elios 3 also features advanced flight path detection, allowing it to autonomously navigate complex, GPS-denied environments with precision. Real-time data transmission enables inspectors to monitor live feeds and make quick, informed decisions, while its modular payload capabilities offer additional flexibility.

Steinmüller Africa has even used the drone for post-incident investigations. “A client recently experienced an explosion on site. We quickly mobilised the drone to assess the damage for safe entry, providing the team with exact locations and live footage of the surroundings, enabling faster, more targeted care,” van Aswegen explains.

In addition to the immediate benefits for clients, the Elios 3 introduces fresh opportunities for Steinmüller Africa. “This drone can be deployed in nearly any situation where it’s too dangerous, impractical, or costly for a person to operate,” he notes. “This includes locations like coal storage tanks, grain silos, underground mines, manufacturing plants, warehouses, boilers, tunnels, cell phone towers, railway tankers and bridges.”

Steinmüller Africa started using Elios drones back in 2017, marking a milestone as the first company in South Africa to secure this technology from Swiss manufacturer, Flyability.

For more information contact Mpho Mafela, Steinmüler, +27 11 806 3321, [email protected], www.steinmullerafrica.com/boilers-heat-exchangers

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Industrial Wireless

Steinmüller Africa’s drone technology

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