Tokyo Electric Power Company has begun a series of inspections using micro drones inside the containment vessel of Reactor No. 3 at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, with plans for 21 flights over two weeks to assess the state of nuclear fuel debris.
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced on the 5th that it has commenced investigations using micro drones within the containment vessel of Reactor No. 3 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This effort aims to gather video footage to understand the conditions inside the reactor, where nuclear fuel melted following the disaster in 2011. The findings will assist in the large-scale recovery operation of fuel debris scheduled to start after fiscal year 2037.
Due to extremely high radiation levels inside the containment vessel, human access is extremely limited, necessitating the use of drones for inspections. TEPCO plans to deploy two micro drones measuring 12 cm by 13 cm by 4 cm—small enough to fit in the palm of a hand—for approximately 10 minutes each day over a span of two weeks, totaling 21 flights. The drones are expected to capture images of penetration holes and assess conditions such as damage, degradation, and the presence of accumulated debris.
An estimated 880 tons of melted fuel debris are located in reactors 1 through 3, with plans to recover the debris from Reactor No. 3 by dropping a containment vessel from above and retrieving it from the side. The initial flights involve flying for about 8 minutes each in a two-part operation to gather vital data for these recovery efforts. This innovative use of micro drones signifies a critical step in the lengthy process of decommissioning the Fukushima plant and ensuring safety in managing the remaining nuclear material.
