UAVs after the Fukushima Daiyichi Disaster

After the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan, a crisis began that was exceptional in many ways. Following the earthquake, the nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant suffered failure to their cooling systems and massive meltdowns followed.  The resulting level of radiation was (and still is) too dangerous for people to get near.  Although there have been no fatalities yet, it is estimated that 130-640 people will eventually die of cancer as a result of radiation exposure.  The seriousness of the high levels of radiation has necessitated that alternate methods of inspecting the plants.  

Initially, the plants were inspected by small multi-rotor UAVS as well as helicopters.  However, UAVS present an obvious advantage in that they can go in lower than 1000 feet to get a better view. 

Since the intitial UAV flights, additional technology has been developed to make the surveying missions more effective.  One such drone is the six-propeller UAV that uses lasers that can detect the drone's orientation inside the reactor as it flies.  This is an innovation that separates it from earlier drones.  Additionally, the six-rotor drone has the ability to change its own batteries automatically -- a feature that helps prevent worker exposure to radiation.