A leading pharmaceutical company recently turned to the Elios 2 drone for its tank inspections, which are a crucial part of the Riboflavin test. The results were impressive and demonstrated significant improvements in efficiency, safety, and cost savings.

Key Benefits at a Glance

Background on the Process

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, large stainless steel tanks are used for production. These tanks must be kept impeccably clean to ensure product quality and compliance with health and safety standards. After each production run, they are cleaned using acid and lye. However, when new tanks are installed or new cleaning processes are introduced, a strict verification process is required.

This process involves applying a fluorescent substance called Riboflavin inside the tank. It acts as a proxy for potential contaminants, helping to confirm that the cleaning process is effective. Once applied, the tank is cleaned again, and UV lights are used to check if any Riboflavin remains. This is known as the Spray Shadow or Riboflavin test.

Traditionally, this process requires workers to enter the tank twice—once after the Riboflavin is applied and once after it’s cleaned off. Each entry involves time-consuming setup, safety checks, and potential delays.

The Challenge

A major pharmaceutical plant in Austria faced challenges with the time and resources required for these inspections. They wanted to explore how new technology could make the process faster, safer, and more efficient. Specifically, they aimed to conduct the two critical checks remotely, eliminating the need for human entry into the tanks.

How the Elios 2 Helped

AEROVISION Drone Support GmbH, an Austrian drone inspection company, proposed using Flyability’s Elios 2 for the next round of tests. Designed for confined spaces, the Elios 2 was ideal for entering the tanks and capturing high-quality visual data.

During the test, the drone was used to inspect five tanks in a single day. A live stream allowed the operator to monitor the entire process in real-time. The Elios 2 successfully verified full coverage of the Riboflavin after application and confirmed that no residue remained after cleaning.

This not only reduced the time required for the tests—from ten hours to just four—but also eliminated the need for personnel to enter the tanks, significantly improving safety and reducing costs.

Results and Future Plans

The pharmaceutical company reported several key benefits from using the Elios 2:

• Cost Savings: 60,000 Euros saved due to reduced downtime.
• Time Efficiency: Inspection time cut by over 50%.
• Safety Improvement: No personnel had to enter the tanks.
• Personnel Reduction: Fewer people were needed to perform the tests.

Even though some tanks still required a second cleaning, the use of the drone made the process much faster and safer compared to manual methods. In fact, the drone even detected trace amounts of Riboflavin that might have been missed otherwise.

The company is now considering using the Elios 2 more frequently for future inspections. With more tanks coming online in the next six months, they want to streamline their testing process and reduce risks associated with manual inspections.

They’re also exploring the possibility of attaching UV lights to the drone to enhance the visibility of the fluorescent Riboflavin, further improving the accuracy of the tests.

Conclusion

The success of the Elios 2 in this case has shown that drones can be a game-changer in industrial inspection processes. By replacing manual entry with remote, real-time data collection, companies can save time, money, and improve safety across the board.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to evolve, integrating advanced technologies like the Elios 2 will be essential for maintaining efficiency and compliance in an increasingly complex environment.

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