Power station inspections in Hong Kong with the Elios

# Power Plant Inspections in Hong Kong Using the Elios ## Key Benefits at a Glance ### Speed One of the most significant challenges in power plant inspections has been the time-consuming process of setting up scaffolding for tall structures such as turbine halls, boilers, and exhaust pipes. These facilities often reach heights that require days of preparation. However, the introduction of the lightweight Elios drone has dramatically reduced inspection times. Teams can now complete inspections in just 1 or 2 days without the need for scaffolding, allowing for much faster workflow. ### Cost Savings CLP Power has established its own dedicated drone team, performing inspections in-house. By eliminating the need for scaffolding during inspections of hard-to-reach areas, the team has managed to save millions of dollars. Additionally, with just one drone flight, the team can gather both LiDAR and visual data, or visual and thermal imagery, providing a more comprehensive analysis of the generation assets. ### Safety The requirement for work at height has been completely eliminated, significantly reducing the need for scaffold erection. This shift keeps the inspection teams safely on the ground, drastically improving overall safety measures. ### Access The Elios 3 has made it easier for CLP Power to access high-rise assets such as boilers over 30 meters tall. It also allows for inspections in underground or confined spaces like silos and pipes, which were previously challenging to access. --- CLP Power Hong Kong Limited, founded in 1901, reliably supplies electricity to over 80% of Hong Kong's population—approximately 7.4 million people. The company operates a fully integrated power supply business in Hong Kong, encompassing electricity generation, transmission and distribution, as well as marketing and customer services. CLP Power is deeply committed to ensuring a reliable power supply and consistently strives to maintain the smooth operation of its power generation units and auxiliary facilities. However, the unique and complex environment of power stations presents inherent challenges to traditional manual inspections. In 2016, CLP Power's engineering teams began researching innovative technologies and pioneering the use of drones for power station inspections. Over the past five years, they have collaborated with Elios drones to streamline indoor inspections while collecting extensive data to enhance the operational safety and efficiency of power generation equipment. This approach helps assess the health and wear-and-tear levels of equipment, minimizing the need for risky work at height or in confined spaces. --- ## Discovering Drones for Indoor Inspections Power stations are vast complexes housing large-scale generation units and auxiliary facilities with towering structures, extensive underground components, and expansive storage areas. As the hub of technical expertise powering CLP Power's operations, the Generation Engineering Department focuses on exploring, researching, and implementing advanced technologies for the inspection and maintenance of ongoing projects and assets to ensure optimal conditions. Director of Generation Engineering Ng Ki-on recalled that in 2018, his team sought to explore innovative methods to reduce the reliance on scaffolding during work-at-height or confined-space inspections. Their goal was to find a more efficient solution that could be conducted internally, eliminating the need for external service providers. Since 2016, CLP Power had been using drones to inspect outdoor generation facilities. However, outdoor drones depend on GPS for navigation, limiting their indoor usability where GPS signals are often unavailable. Moreover, collisions between outdoor drones and indoor structures could cause significant damage to both the drone and the facility. Realizing these limitations, the engineering team began evaluating various indoor drone models. Through discussions with Dronesurvey Asia, they learned about the Elios drones, which demonstrated stable, contact-free inspection capabilities without relying on GPS. This discovery inspired them to envision using the drone to inspect boilers, fume exhaust pipes, turbine halls, and other critical indoor assets. --- ## Developing a Drone Program at a Power Plant When the Elios 2 was introduced to the site, Ki-on’s team became intrigued by its potential. They began developing workflows and plans to integrate the drone into their inspection processes. The collision-tolerant design of the Elios 2 gave the team confidence to operate in complex environments, from indoor stockpile measurements to inspecting boilers that reached heights of 30 meters. In 2022, upon the launch of the Elios 3, the engineering team acquired the new model to leverage the combined capabilities of LiDAR and visual payloads for more efficient inspections. “The initial reaction to drones was skepticism,” Ki-on noted. “Some thought we were looking for recreational UAVs for industrial tasks. But with these cage drones, we’ve proven that drones are far from mere toys—they’re powerful tools that streamline indoor inspections and improve workplace safety.” --- ## A Permanent Role for Drones in Power Plant Inspections With established workflows in place, Ki-on’s team now routinely uses Elios drones for inspecting assets such as boilers, indoor storage areas, pump pits, and general site inspections. The drones have made inspections more efficient and safer. For instance, boiler inspections once required scaffolding and were time-consuming, resulting in prolonged downtimes. With the Elios 3, the entire boiler can be inspected from inside and outside within a single day, allowing for seamless continuation with further inspections or maintenance work. Similarly, a pump pit inspection previously required confined space work, draining the water inside, and erecting scaffolding. With the Elios drone, the inspection can be completed quickly without needing to drain the pit. The engineering team has utilized the Elios 2 for simultaneous thermal and visual inspections and the Elios 3 for collecting visual and LiDAR data simultaneously. Overall, these drones not only accelerate inspections but also provide higher-quality data in greater quantities. --- ## What’s Next? Excited about the future of drones in inspections, Ki-on envisions significant advancements. “I can see immense potential for AI in analyzing collected data. This will save time for those who gather large amounts of data but lack robust systems to process it efficiently.” Recently, CLP Power held a media briefing showcasing the Elios drones alongside other tools for enhancing safety and productivity. The event generated discussions in Hong Kong, sparking interest among local government departments and organizations keen to learn more about drone applications in daily operations. Discover more about the Elios 3 and its specialized LiDAR payload. All images in this article are credited to CLP Power Hong Kong Limited.

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