Drone Test Flights Confirm Possibilities for Use in Fusion
A drone mounted with cameras and sensors has been used for the first time to inspect the Joint European Torus (JET) former fusion research facility at the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s Culham Campus (UKAEA) in Oxfordshire.
Earlier the presence of complex crowded equipment and highly sensitive environment of JET restricted the use of drones, despite the fact that there was always a need for remote inspection. However, in late 2025, history was made with the first JET inspection drone flights: first in October as a derisking exercise in the JET in-vessel training facility, then in the JET assembly hall, and around the exterior of the JET torus itself between 25 and 26 November.
The flights were jointly conducted to gather data to serve the needs of four parties. The Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo) led a project to conduct inspection flights, with the aim of gathering safety inspection data and establishing the processes to support future inspections as it proceeds along its decommissioning process.
The Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (UKAEA’s RACE) robotics center, Eni and EniProgetti Companies were members of the group that explored how they could use drones, alongside other inspection systems, to enable rapid checks of fusion devices and help verify system readiness. Such an approach aims to significantly shorten the time required for these assessments that is a critical step for meeting the stringent reliability standards demanded by commercial fusion power plants. The experts also wanted to deepen the understanding of using aerial drones for rapid inspection of fusion facilities to extend ground-based inspection techniques.
In order to ensure safety, the teams conducted a detailed risk assessment, secured access permissions, completed local inductions and implemented safety measures, including post-flight contamination swabbing.
A Flyability Elios 3 drone which undertook over 30 flights of 6-7 minutes (the limits of a single battery) was used during the flights in JET’s torus hall.
The drone is equipped with built-in camera and LiDAR technology, as well as radiation sensors, which let it gather detailed data and high-resolution imagery. The device is surrounded by a lightweight soft cage, allowing it to operate near sensitive structures without risk to itself or its surroundings.
The RAICo team also used the opportunity to perform a real inspection of high-up junction boxes. That data proved useful, highlighting minor maintenance issues.
According to UKAEA, the flights successfully demonstrated that drone-based imaging and inspection can be performed safely to support decommissioning and repurposing activities.
According to the World Nuclear News