The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has launched a competition to find innovative technologies to enable the remote monitoring of the 17 sites it is responsible for cleaning up.
Run by the Defence and Security Accelerator, the competition aims to find innovative technologies that can help the collection of data remotely on the NDA’s assets, infrastructure and the surrounding environment/ecosystem to allow more proactive decisions about managing sensitive sites, now and in future, without the physical presence of humans.
There are three strands to the competition: built environment and infrastructure; environmental monitoring and land use; and security and resilience.
Focusing on the first of those three strands, the NDA is looking for: “Innovative solutions that enhance the detection, identification, and monitoring of complex and high-value physical assets, including equipment and civil structures. Assets of interest include building rooftops, pipelines, and complex facilities. An ability to undertake automated change detection, remote inspection, and condition monitoring of external assets is also of interest.
“Currently, on average, roof inspections are undertaken manually every six-to-12 months. The opportunity to conduct more inspections to identify issues as early as possible and on-demand would be hugely beneficial.
“Ideally, the innovation should be able to detect: changes in colour; water collecting; physical anomalies, i.e. cracks, texture change, organic growth; and thermal changes over time.”
Up to £750,000 is available for the first phase of the competition, with a maximum of £75,000 for each funded proposal. The closing date for proposals is 18 May 2022. All projects must complete by the end of May 2023.
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