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ELIOS 3 AUTONOMY

Deliver precise, repeatable drone inspections through advanced autonomy

The Elios 3 Autonomy Engine combines real-time perception, intelligent navigation, and adaptive flight control to support complex indoor inspections in challenging GPS-denied environments.

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Secure drone autonomy for high-stakes environments

In manual drone operations, managing battery levels, navigating in low-visibility conditions, and handling tight exit paths adds pressure and leaves little margin for error. By integrating intelligence into every flight, Elios 3 Autonomy simplifies operations, reinforces safety margins, and expands who can confidently execute complex missions.

Reduced Cognitive Load

Intelligent flight assistance lightens the mental burden of flight management, enabling pilots to focus fully on inspection results.

Enhanced Operational Safety

Built-in safety behaviors reduce operational risks and increase pilot's confidence when navigating complex, confined environments.

Elios 3 Autonomy

Wider Deployment Potential

Elios 3 autonomy features shift control to the inspector, making professional-grade missions possible without advanced piloting expertise.

How Elios 3 Autonomy supports your daily missions

With advanced sensing and real-time environmental awareness, Elios 3 Autonomy continuously interprets its surroundings and solves complex navigation in real time — so you can fly further, inspect deeper, and operate with total confidence.

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Always find the safest way back

With Smart Return-To-Home, the Elios 3 doesn't just return — it thinks its way back. The system automatically calculates the shortest, safest path home, actively detecting and avoiding obstacles along the way.

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Maximize your flight time

The Flight Time Management Gauge continuously monitors battery levels and alerts you when it's time to return. It calculates the shortest optimal route back to the home point, ensuring timely and predictable exits while maximizing usable flight time.

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Repeat with precision. Every time.

Autonomous Repeat Flight allows operators of any skill level to replay a previously recorded mission with a single click. The drone follows the same trajectory and revisits the same Points of Interest (POIs), capturing data from near-identical positions and viewpoints every time.

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Pick up exactly where you left off

After a battery swap, Resume Inspection autonomously guides the drone back to the last Return-to-Home trigger point, following the shortest route to save time and maintain efficiency.

Explore the full range of Elios 3 Autonomy features and see how they power precise, repeatable indoor inspections.

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Elios 3 core Autonomy system

The architecture of Elios 3 Autonomy, built on advanced perception and intelligent flight control.

Elios 3 core autonomy system Autonomy illustration-mobile
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Learn more about drone autonomy

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Trusted by thousands of happy customers

LKAB logo

Daniel Jatko

Production Technician and Drone Pilot at LKAB

“We’ve used Smart RTH more than 50 times in challenging ore passes extending 1.2 km below sea level, and it has consistently proven reliable. It adds a critical layer of confidence in some of our most demanding conditions.”

Dominion energy logo

Scott M. Paul

Unmanned Systems Group, Dominion Energy

Autonomous Repeat Flight has transformed our confined-space inspections. Its near-identical mission precision enables true comparative analysis — critical for high-value, data-driven inspections.

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Unlock the full potential of your Elios 3

Elios 3 Autonomy capabilities are delivered through our Premium Software Plan. Speak with our team to review your inspection requirements and choose the plan that best supports your operations.

Talk to an Expert PREMIUM SOFTWARE PLAN
Is Elios 3 a fully autonomous drone?

Not yet.

Today, Elios 3 Autonomy provides advanced flight assistance while a human operator remains in control. It supports navigation, obstacle avoidance, return-to-home, and repeatable missions — but supervision is still required.

Traditionally, complex indoor inspections require a trained drone pilot to manage the flight while the inspector evaluates the asset. Elios 3 Autonomy is designed to progressively embed pilot-level expertise into the system — reducing the need for specialized piloting skills.

The goal is not to replace the inspector, but to remove the complexity of flying so inspection professionals can focus entirely on results.

Can I override Elios 3 Autonomy features at any time?

Yes. Operators can instantly override autonomy features and switch to manual control whenever needed. Automated functions such as Smart Return-to-Home or Autonomous Repeat Flight can be disengaged at any time, returning full control to the operator.

This flexibility is intentional. Industrial inspections are dynamic — new findings may require closer investigation, additional imagery, or adjustments to the mission plan. For example, during a Repeat Flight, an operator can take manual control to inspect a newly identified defect before re-engaging the automated mission.

Elios 3 Autonomy is designed to ensure precision and repeatability — not to replace the inspector. The operator remains in control while autonomy guarantees consistent flight execution.

How does Elios 3 Autonomy navigate in GPS-denied environments?

Elios 3 Autonomy is specifically designed for GPS-denied environments such as tunnels, silos, and confined industrial spaces.

It uses LiDAR-based 3D sensing, SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), and a vision-inertial navigation system to maintain precise positioning and spatial awareness without relying on GPS.

This allows stable, controlled flight even in low-light and complex geometries.

What happens if the battery runs low during an inspection?

When battery levels drop, the Flight Time Management system alerts the pilot and calculates the safest and shortest return path. At a press of a button, Smart Return-to-Home automatically guides the drone back while actively detecting obstacles along the way.

This ensures predictable exits and reduces the risk of forced landings.

Does drone autonomy reduce the need for trained pilots?

Elios 3 Autonomy lowers the skill barrier for indoor drone inspections by embedding advanced flight logic into the system. While training is still required, autonomy features help inspectors — not just specialized drone pilots — execute complex missions with greater consistency and confidence.

This enables broader adoption across industrial teams.

Is Autonomy included with every Elios 3 drone?

Elios 3 includes essential autonomy capabilities such as real-time 3D mapping, SLAM-based stabilization, and return-to-signal functionality.


Advanced automation features — including Smart Return-to-Home, Resume Inspection, and Autonomous Repeat Flight — are available through the Premium Software Subscription.


In addition to advanced autonomy, the Premium Subscription also unlocks enhanced software tools for faster data processing, improved mission management, and more efficient inspection workflows.

How does Elios 3 Autonomy improve indoor drone inspection efficiency?

Elios 3 Autonomy improves efficiency by reducing manual flight variability and standardizing mission execution.

Features such as Smart Return-to-Home, Resume Inspection, and Repeat Flight help optimize return paths, minimize repositioning, reduce rework, and ensure consistent, repeatable inspection flights.

By automating critical flight tasks and maintaining mission continuity, Elios 3 enables teams to complete complex inspections faster while capturing high-quality, comparable data.

Can Elios 3 Autonomy prevent all crashes during indoor inspections?

No drone can guarantee zero crashes, particularly in complex, confined, or dynamic environments.

However, Elios 3 significantly reduces crash risk through:

  • LiDAR-based obstacle awareness
  • Real-time occupancy mapping
  • Intelligent rerouting and return logic
  • A patented collision-tolerant design

Together, these systems enhance operational safety in GPS-denied and confined spaces while keeping the operator in control.

Autonomy reduces risk — but safe operation always requires responsible supervision.

Is Elios 3 a fully autonomous drone?

Not yet.

Today, Elios 3 Autonomy provides advanced flight assistance while a human operator remains in control. It supports navigation, obstacle avoidance, return-to-home, and repeatable missions — but supervision is still required.

Traditionally, complex indoor inspections require a trained drone pilot to manage the flight while the inspector evaluates the asset. Elios 3 Autonomy is designed to progressively embed pilot-level expertise into the system — reducing the need for specialized piloting skills.

The goal is not to replace the inspector, but to remove the complexity of flying so inspection professionals can focus entirely on results.

Can I override Elios 3 Autonomy features at any time?

Yes. Operators can instantly override autonomy features and switch to manual control whenever needed. Automated functions such as Smart Return-to-Home or Autonomous Repeat Flight can be disengaged at any time, returning full control to the operator.

This flexibility is intentional. Industrial inspections are dynamic — new findings may require closer investigation, additional imagery, or adjustments to the mission plan. For example, during a Repeat Flight, an operator can take manual control to inspect a newly identified defect before re-engaging the automated mission.

Elios 3 Autonomy is designed to ensure precision and repeatability — not to replace the inspector. The operator remains in control while autonomy guarantees consistent flight execution.

How does Elios 3 Autonomy navigate in GPS-denied environments?

Elios 3 Autonomy is specifically designed for GPS-denied environments such as tunnels, silos, and confined industrial spaces.

It uses LiDAR-based 3D sensing, SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), and a vision-inertial navigation system to maintain precise positioning and spatial awareness without relying on GPS.

This allows stable, controlled flight even in low-light and complex geometries.

What happens if the battery runs low during an inspection?

When battery levels drop, the Flight Time Management system alerts the pilot and calculates the safest and shortest return path. At a press of a button, Smart Return-to-Home automatically guides the drone back while actively detecting obstacles along the way.

This ensures predictable exits and reduces the risk of forced landings.

Does drone autonomy reduce the need for trained pilots?

Elios 3 Autonomy lowers the skill barrier for indoor drone inspections by embedding advanced flight logic into the system. While training is still required, autonomy features help inspectors — not just specialized drone pilots — execute complex missions with greater consistency and confidence.

This enables broader adoption across industrial teams.

Is Autonomy included with every Elios 3 drone?

Elios 3 includes essential autonomy capabilities such as real-time 3D mapping, SLAM-based stabilization, and return-to-signal functionality.


Advanced automation features — including Smart Return-to-Home, Resume Inspection, and Autonomous Repeat Flight — are available through the Premium Software Subscription.


In addition to advanced autonomy, the Premium Subscription also unlocks enhanced software tools for faster data processing, improved mission management, and more efficient inspection workflows.

How does Elios 3 Autonomy improve indoor drone inspection efficiency?

Elios 3 Autonomy improves efficiency by reducing manual flight variability and standardizing mission execution.

Features such as Smart Return-to-Home, Resume Inspection, and Repeat Flight help optimize return paths, minimize repositioning, reduce rework, and ensure consistent, repeatable inspection flights.

By automating critical flight tasks and maintaining mission continuity, Elios 3 enables teams to complete complex inspections faster while capturing high-quality, comparable data.

Can Elios 3 Autonomy prevent all crashes during indoor inspections?

No drone can guarantee zero crashes, particularly in complex, confined, or dynamic environments.

However, Elios 3 significantly reduces crash risk through:

  • LiDAR-based obstacle awareness
  • Real-time occupancy mapping
  • Intelligent rerouting and return logic
  • A patented collision-tolerant design

Together, these systems enhance operational safety in GPS-denied and confined spaces while keeping the operator in control.

Autonomy reduces risk — but safe operation always requires responsible supervision.