2024 in Review: Flyability's Incredible Year

The highlights of 2024 for Flyability: from conferences to payloads, we’ve done it all!

What a year 2024 has been! The Flyability team is already gearing up for 2025, with plenty to come, but we wanted to reflect on all that we achieved in 2024 and recognize some epic moments we share with our amazing community. Here are a few highlights…

The User Conference comes to Switzerland

In March, we hosted the second edition of the User Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland. Over 160 people joined us for 3 days of inspiring keynote speeches, lively networking sessions, and specialized training.

The conference opened with Flyability officially launching the Elios 3’s ultrasonic thickness (UT) payload, which was broadcast live. Expert keynotes included speakers from Cargill, Bureau Veritas, and government bodies including Sellafield and the Idaho Environmental Coalition. Together we discussed everything from drone inspections of sewers to the challenges of remote access in nuclear environments, with the Elios drones at the heart of every topic.

Adrien Briod, Flyability CTO, unveils the Ultrasonic Thickness payload at the 2024 User Conference

Unleashing the Payloads!

Flyability launched 2 payloads for our Elios 3 drones this year. The first was the UT payload, which was a much-anticipated addition to our portfolio. Taking several years of careful development and testing, our UT payload is at work worldwide and making a difference to inspectors working on assets ranging from tank inspections to ship hull surveys.

The UT payload attached to the Elios 3

The second payload, the flammable gas sensor, was launched in October and marked a step forward in the safety of operations with the Elios 3. This payload can give alerts if it detects one of over 14 explosive gases, alerting the pilot to the potential hazard. This is crucial for confined spaces that cannot be easily reached by inspectors before flying the drone, providing an additional layer of safety and reassurance for pilots.

With these two payloads live, Flyability will now focus on answering the important question: what’s next for the Elios 3? Answers to follow in 2025….

Software Surge: Meet the Cloud and Asset Management

It wasn’t just hardware that Flyability brought new developments to. Flyability Cloud was launched this year. With Flyability Cloud, Elios pilots have a new way to manage and share their data, as well as collaborate on projects with multiple stakeholders.

We also launched Asset Management, a software extension that turns drone data into a consolidated view of the asset. This software bridges the gap between flight-based data capture and asset management. Data can be merged between subsequent flights so that all of the data is presented as a single asset, giving pilots a comprehensive overview of the asset they just inspected.

Case Studies: Boldly Going Where No Drone Has Gone Before

The Elios 3 has been involved in some incredible case studies this year, highlighting what is achievable with a powerful drone and innovative pilots. Some of the highlights include….

The Elios 3 rests on its case on the iconic island of Alcatraz ahead of a major surveying project lead by Pete Kelsey (image courtesy of Pete Kelsey and UAS Inc)

Opening the Door to New Opportunities

Flyability has also announced several major partnerships and developments this year.

The UT payload came as a result of collaboration between Flyability and Cygnus Instruments, bringing 20 years of experience in non-destructive testing together with a market-leading drone. Similarly, the flammable gas sensor was built in partnership with NevadaNano, who are experts in explosive gas detection and monitoring.

Next up was the partnership with the American Bureau of Shipping, ABS, which was first publicized during Posidonia. This partnership will help to put Flyability’s technology in front of new audiences and gain recognition from one of the biggest industry shapers in maritime.

Flyability and Holcim’s ongoing partnership was solidified with two sets of Drone Days - one series in North America and one in France. These days allow pilots working at Holcim plants across the continent to meet, train, and share ideas. In 2025, we’re hoping to replicate this event in more locations to reach more Holcim pilots.

Finally, Flyability and Samsung signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop drone technology for unmanned indoor inspections, to bring this technology into warehouse management.

What’s Coming in 2025?

Flyability will be traveling the world in 2025, while the Elios 3 flies above, beneath, and around it. We’re expecting to see case studies, new events, and new product developments.

We’ll be sharing more in the new year, but for now, we just wanted to say thanks for being part of the Flyability community, and we look forward to surpassing new challenges in the new year.