Poop Drones Are Keeping Sewers Running So Humans Don't Have to
1 min read
Summary
On Christmas Eve 2016, a house in Michigan collapsed into a sinkhole, evacuating the residents and nearby buildings.
The collapsed sewer interceptor was the cause, meaning a stretch of Fraser’s busy 15 Mile Road was also at risk.
It cost $75m to fix, as well as the added costs to residents and nearby businesses.
To prevent this happening again, it is important to carry out regular inspections of sewer lines for cracks that could lead to soil ingress and collapse.
But traditionally these inspections have been costly and hazardous, meaning drones could provide a safer alternative.
A new model called Elios 3 has been designed to navigate through dark and dusty pipes using its 16,000-lumen lighting rig and 4K camera to create a live 3D model.
It can even be used in hazardous environments as it can be fitted with explosive gas sensors or ultrasonic thickness gauges.
Macomb County has adopted this technology, along with the software programme SewerAI, to streamline the inspection process.
This is a much cheaper option, saving the county 900,000comparedtoitspreviousexpenditureof1m on inspections every three years.
