Drone with radiation meter to monitor Ukraine nuclear power plant

The Russian bombing of the largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine last week led to major concerns worldwide about the possible release of radioactive materials. In the end, no radiation was released, but just to be sure, an American company is sending a drone with radiation meter to the administrators of the affected people to take measurements from the air.

Nuclear disaster averted

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear complex consists of six separate nuclear reactors. Together they provide more than 20% of the electricity needs in Ukraine. It is the largest nuclear power station in Europe and one of the largest nuclear power stations in the world.

Last week, the complex came under fire from the Russian invasion force in Ukraine, much to the dismay of the international community. A direct hit on one of the reactor buildings or cooling installations could have resulted in a nuclear disaster of gigantic proportions, affecting large parts of Europe, as well as parts of Russia.

In the end, only one training center was damaged as a result of the shelling. Shortly afterward, the Russian commanders were able to take control of the plant. No increased levels of radiation were observed in the area, and the power plant is now again managed by Ukrainian staff under the watchful eye of the Russians.

DroneRAD: drone with radiation meter

To make sure that no radiation was released as a result of the Russian attack, the American company US Nuclear Corp has now sent a special drone, the DroneRAD, to Zaporizhzhia. It is a device that is equipped with advanced radiation meters.

The local authorities can use the drone with radiation meter to perform additional measurements and thus verify the stability of the plant.

Not only can the DroneRAD detect hot spots of gamma radiation, but the drone can also detect alpha, beta, and gamma-radiating particles in the air. As a result, the drone can identify radiation sources on the ground as well as floating radioactive particles that can be easily inhaled.

The DroneRAD's ground station displays the data in real-time on a map of the area. This makes it possible to quickly gain insight into the presence of possible leaks and the direction of distribution of hazardous sources of radiation. It is even possible to equip the DroneRAD UAV with chemical detectors.

It is interesting to mention that the DroneRAD is based on systems of Dutch origin, namely the Neo and Zoe multirotor drones from Acecore Technologies.

Much experience

US Nuclear Corp. has been around for more than 100 years and is a global leader in detecting hazardous nuclear or chemical substances. The company offers various solutions in the field of vehicles, robots, and drones to perform measurements without exposing personnel to dangers.

This article first appeared on Dronewatch and is written by Wiebe de Jager who is also a DroneXL contributor.

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