International measurement exercise successfully completed

Starting point of the measurement flights 2017 was Dübendorf near Zurich. The image shows one of the helicopters flying over the area around Zurich.

Capacity to act swiftly and reliable measurement results – that was demonstrated by the BfS teams during an international helicopter measurement exercise that took place in Switzerland from 26 June to 30 June 2017. In co-operation with teams from Switzerland, France, and the Czech Republic, the specialists of the BfS and the federal police force (BPOL) practised an emergency. The teams measured radioactive substances deposited on and in the ground from a helicopter.

One particularity of the exercise in June 2017 was the size of the flight area extending between Lake Constance in the north and Lake Zug in the south covering about ten per cent of Switzerland. This area was to be fully mapped radiologically by all participating measurement teams in only one day within a period of six hours. At the same time, two hidden radioactive sources with activities of 19 and, respectively, 47 gigabecquerel were to be located in the measuring area.

Base and starting point for all measurement flights was Dübendorf military airport near Zurich.

Results

The six measuring teams succeeded in mapping the measuring area extending to 2,800 square kilometres within six flight hours only. Thus, the teams have shown that they are capable of acting swiftly in the event of an emergency.

The measuring teams were able to identify both hidden radioactive sources and to transfer their geographical position to the operation centre within the period of use.