en-Flyability Awarded Most Innovative Technology by the Bulk Storage Industry

Flyability has been awarded most innovative technology by the bulk storage industry during the Storage Tank Awards ceremony organized by Tank Storage Magazine in the context of the StocExpo Europe tradeshow.

Swiss-Based drone company Flyability has been awarded most innovative technology by a panel of judges from across the sector for its collision-tolerant drone.

Flyability presented its product Elios, the first indoor inspection UAV, which provides maintenance operation specialists with a mean to perform General Visual Inspections of storage tanks in a safer, faster and cheaper way. "We would like to congratulate Flyability on winning the Most Innovative Technology Award," says Margaret Dunn, publisher of Tank Storage Magazine, who hosted the event. "As a newcomer to the storage industry, Flyability has literally had the industry buzzing! Their technology is revolutionizing the way terminals inspect their tanks and they are a deserved winner of this award."

Among the shortlisted companies were technologies such as internal floating roofs, 3D laser scanning solutions, tank gauging systems, cloud-based data exchange services or flame arresters.

In the context of a tank inspection, Elios allows operators to perform most operations without having to enter the tank. But, benefits are not limited to safety. By offering a fast and cost-efficient way of locating the areas that need repairs, Elios allows for considerable savings. Only applying a tactical scaffolding limited to the areas of interest, asset owners will see their tanks downtime and inspection costs decreased.

2017 being the first year that drone companies are showcasing at StocExpo Europe, the public has been very receptive to the technologies presented. "We have benefited from a continuous flow of visitors interested to see the technology in action," says, Marc Gandillon, Marketing Manager at Flyability. "Despite our first presence at the show, people have made their way to our booth to learn how the bulk storage industry can benefit from our technology".

Several industrials, from Oil & Gas supermajors to inspection companies have already deployed the technology in the field. Such drone-based inspections proved to bring substantial time and cost savings. Despite the drones not being certified to be used in explosive environments, experience showed that it can easily be integrated into the existing inspection workflows after degassing and cleaning.