Using a drone to inspect a dish

In September 2016, the team at the European Space Agency’s (ESA) deep space tracking station at Cebreros, near Madrid, Spain, ran a series of test flights to image the antenna using a Dji Phantom 3 drone controlled with an iPad.

The team were trialling use of a drone to perform routine maintenance inspections of the station’s massive 35 m dish antenna and the supporting structure. It may also be an effective option for inspecting the site’s fencing and other facilities.

The short video below provides excellent views of the dish, the site and its buildings, and the surrounding countryside.

“We really see the effect of the forest fire that occurred few years ago — there are no pine trees anymore on the drive from the hill hosting the so-called ‘calibration tower’ to the antenna — and we can also see the benefits of our well-maintained firebreak, which saved the station during the same forest fire,” said Lionel Hernandez, station manager.

ESA’s Cebreros station, DSA 2 (Deep Space Antenna 2), is located 77 km west of Madrid. It provides routine communication with deep space missions such as Mars Express, Gaia and Rosetta.