Stereo2: The ultimate drone for dam inspection

Our Stereo2 inspection drone features a compact and robust design, making it highly manoeuvrable in narrow and high‑altitude environments around dams. With a diameter of just 39 centimeters (about 15.35 inches), it can easily navigate through dam crevices, narrow spillways, and other difficult‑to‑access areas. This agility reduces the need for scaffolding, cranes, or manual climbing by inspectors. Additionally, the drone is equipped with a protective cage, allowing it to safely make contact with dam surfaces without sustaining damage. This collision‑tolerant design ensures that inspections can be conducted with minimal risk to both the drone and the dam structure.

Dams often pose challenges for GPS‑reliant drones due to their height, proximity to water, and complex surroundings. The Multinnov drone solves this issue by using a combination of LiDAR and visual odometry for stabilization, allowing it to maintain steady flight even in GPS‑denied environments, such as under spillways or near dam walls. This technology enables the drone to accurately map its surroundings and follow predetermined flight paths, making it an invaluable tool for performing consistent and detailed inspections.

Effective lighting is essential during dam inspections, especially when examining deep tunnels, submerged sections, or spillways with poor natural lighting. The Stero2 drone is equipped with a 10,000 lumen lighting system composed of adjustable LED panels that provide 180° illumination. This ensures that even the darkest areas of the dam are adequately lit, allowing for high‑quality visual and video inspections. Moreover, the drone’s water‑resistant construction and sealed motors enable it to operate in humid or wet conditions, which are common in dam environments.

The Stereo2 drone is outfitted with a 4K camera that captures high‑resolution photos and videos, ensuring that even the smallest cracks or defects in dam walls are clearly visible. The camera’s automatic focus and ISO settings simplify operation, providing clear real‑time video feeds to the pilot. The drone’s photogrammetry capabilities make it easier to assess structural integrity, identify potential weaknesses, and analyse the collected data. The inspection data is processed through specialized softwares such as Agisoft Metashape or Pix4D, to give a new perspective with 3D models which helps in predicting possible failures and optimizing maintenance strategies.

The Stero2 drone offers a robust communication system, ensuring stable video and control links between the drone and the pilot, even in areas with complex terrain or electromagnetic interference. Its access to flight logs and post‑inspection data is critical for thorough analysis and documentation, allowing for digital duplicates of dam structures. This enables teams to conduct detailed assessments without the need for repeated on‑site visits.