CASE C03 · CZ · 2024
VZU Plzeň: caged-drone inspection of a 700 m hydropower penstock
In 2024 Czech test institute VZU Plzeň inspected a 700 m hydropower penstock with a caged drone. Avoiding the scaffolding trolley reportedly cut the job from 12 days to 2. The figures come from a manufacturer case study and the plant is not named.
| Owner | Hydropower plant operator (not named) |
| Provider | VZU Plzeň (research and testing institute) |
| Location | Czech Republic |
| Aircraft | Flyability Elios 3 |
| Sensors | 4K video, LiDAR |
Before
A custom scaffolding trolley built on site (5–6 days to assemble, 5 to dismantle, plus inspection), with a risk of getting stuck.
With drones
A collision-tolerant drone flew the penstock, capturing 4K video and LiDAR point clouds.
Outcomes
| Metric | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| total inspection time | from 12 days to 2 days (stated as 80–84%) | Reported |
| competing bids | four other companies had attempted the job without achieving the required result | Reported |
Caveats & limits
- Manufacturer/reseller case study (Flyability via COPTRZ); not independently verified.
- The plant owner and site are not named; percentage reduction is stated inconsistently (80% vs 84%).
- No drone limitations are described.
Sources
- How VZU Plzeň achieved an 80% reduction in penstock inspection time with the Elios 3COPTRZ (Flyability reseller) Full text read
Sources checked: 2026-10-22