Our take
Flyability is the default choice for plants that need eyes inside a boiler, tank, sewer, or mine without building scaffolding or sending a person in. Its Elios 3 is a caged drone that maps its surroundings with LiDAR, survives collisions, and is the only drone on the market able to recover from flips without crashing, according to the company.3
The company says it has more than 1,450 customers and more than 2,750 Elios drones deployed, and it sells through distributors in 27 countries. Flyability does not publish a price, but a European distributor lists the Elios 3 from EUR 73,390 before VAT, which gives buyers a credible starting point.2,1,6
Scores by criterion
Each criterion is defined on our methodology page.
Who uses Flyability and what it's for
Flyability's buyers are inspection and maintenance teams in energy, wastewater, mining, and other heavy industries. Named users on its product page include EDF's Cattenom nuclear plant, Glencore, and Holcim.3,2
The alternative it replaces is usually not another robot. Thévoz told swissinfo.ch that the main competition is scaffolding and human inspection, and the company says drone inspections can cut internal inspection costs by as much as 90%.7,1
Elios 3 and its payloads
The Elios 3 uses LiDAR, cameras, and SLAM software to fly where GPS does not reach, and its compact frame fits through manholes. Pilot-assist features keep it stable in dust, and the cockpit app shows a live 3D point cloud during flight.3
Payloads include a visual inspection camera, survey LiDAR, ultrasonic thickness measurement, radiation, and gas sensors.3,6 In 2025 Flyability added a high-capacity battery with up to 50% more flight time and a tether power unit for unlimited flight time, plus Smart Return-to-Home.5
From an EPFL lab to 50 countries
Flyability spun out of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) and its Laboratory of Intelligent Systems. Patrick Thévoz and his cousin Adrien Briod started it in 2014, and it won the $1 million Drones for Good prize in Dubai the next year.2,7
Today it has more than 120 full-time employees, with offices in Denver, Shanghai, and Singapore.2
Pricing
Flyability asks buyers to contact sales for a price. Robot Distribution, a European reseller, lists the Elios 3 base version from EUR 73,390 before VAT, with options, delivery, and commissioning quoted separately.4,6
Competitive landscape
| Company | Product | Pricing model | Deployment footprint | Where Flyability wins or loses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flyability | Elios 3 collision-tolerant drone for indoor and confined-space inspection3 | Quote only; a European distributor lists it from EUR 73,390 before VAT4,6 | Customers across 68 countries; distributors in 271 | Flies inside spaces no ground robot can enter; short flights and pilot required |
| ANYbotics | ANYmal and ANYmal X legged inspection robots11 | Quote only; about $670,000 per unit, derived from a $4 million order for six units15 | Close to 200 robots in the field by December 20249 | Flyability wins inside tanks and boilers a robot cannot walk into. ANYbotics wins on autonomous daily rounds with no pilot. |
| Percepto | Autonomous drones and the AXION platform for site inspection12 | Not published12 | Utilities, solar, mining, oil and gas, and ports12 | Flyability wins indoors and in confined spaces. Percepto wins on covering large outdoor areas from the air. |
| Skydio | Autonomous drones and docks with Security Command software13 | Not published13 | Public safety, utilities, and national security buyers13 | Flyability wins in collisions and confined spaces. Skydio wins outdoors and with docked autonomy. |
| Gecko Robotics | Inspection robots and sensors plus Cantilever software14 | Not published14 | US Navy contract vehicle expanded to $300 million14 | Flyability wins on visual access to enclosed spaces. Gecko wins on crawling robots that measure wall thickness at scale. |
Limits
No published price from Flyability itself, and payloads and software options are quoted separately.4
Flight time per battery is short, about 12.5 to 17 minutes according to the distributor listing, so long inspections need several flights or the tether unit.6,5
Revenue is not disclosed. We estimate it at $25 million to $35 million, based on the CHF 20 million revenue target Thévoz gave Verve Ventures for 2022, more than 2,750 drones deployed since, and a staff of more than 120 full-time employees. This is an estimate, not a reported figure.8,2
What customers say
Where it helps
We are able to reduce the inspection time considerably because we don’t have to set up scaffolding and we are able to carry out the checks with Elios 3. Inevitably I see a financial gain.
I see it being a true replacement for human eyes underground. The Elios 3 it’s really an everyday tool that can capture the data you have and keep it in sort of an archive form.
The drones for us are really important. It starts with health and safety. Its also good for our profitability. But finally it also helps our people be productive and efficient.
Where it falls short
We found no independent negative reviews. The practical limits buyers raise are short battery flights, the need for a trained pilot and confined-space permits, and pricing that is only available by quote.6,4
Leadership
Patrick Thévoz
Co-founder and chief executive officerThévoz started Flyability after a master's degree in robotics at EPFL, with the aim of keeping people out of hazardous spaces.2
Adrien Briod
Co-founder and chief technology officerBriod holds a PhD from EPFL's Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, where he patented methods for stabilizing drones in cluttered spaces.2
Sources
- Flyability, Homepage, accessed November 1, 2026
- Flyability, Company page, accessed November 1, 2026
- Flyability, Elios 3, accessed November 1, 2026
- Flyability, Elios 3 price, accessed November 1, 2026
- Flyability, Wrapping up 2025 with Flyability, accessed November 1, 2026
- Robot Distribution, Flyability Elios 3, accessed November 1, 2026
- swissinfo.ch, Startup makes life-saving robots inspired by flies, accessed November 1, 2026
- Verve Ventures, Interview with Patrick Thévoz, accessed November 1, 2026
- TechCrunch, ANYbotics raises $60M, December 12, 2024, accessed November 1, 2026
- Climate Investment, CI joins investment in ANYbotics, accessed November 1, 2026
- ANYbotics, ANYmal X launch, accessed October 31, 2026
- Percepto, Home page, accessed November 1, 2026
- Skydio, Home page, accessed November 1, 2026
- Gecko Robotics, Home page, accessed November 1, 2026
- ANYbotics, Petrobras and ANYbotics Join Efforts to Automate Offshore FPSO Inspections, November 22, 2023, accessed October 31, 2026
