Aircraft inspection system

• US 10,081,443 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2016
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Engel, Franz, Bauer, Daniel, Orth, Tilman, Weimer, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Frejd, Russell Warren
• Application Number:
  US15/361,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20170297745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/20 Means for detecting icing or initiating de-icing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0016 of aircraft wings or blades
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8867 using sequentially two or more inspection runs, e.g. coarse and fine, or detecting then analysing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8851 Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

In order to provide a simplified inspection of an aircraft for the pilot, an aircraft inspection system is provided which includes at least one movable inspection unit, a position detection arrangement, and at least one data transfer interface. The at least one moveable inspection unit is moveable relative to an aircraft to be inspected. The at least one movable inspection unit includes at least one sensor for detecting a characteristic value, for verifying a characteristic and/or for determining a defect of an aircraft. The movable inspection unit is configured to generate monitoring data. When a defect or a characteristic value is detected, the position detection arrangement detects position data of the movable inspection unit in relation to the aircraft to be inspected, and assigns the position data to the monitoring data. The data transfer interface provides the position data with the assigned monitoring data as inspection data.

Claims

1. An aircraft inspection system, comprising:

at least one movable inspection unit;

a position detection arrangement; and

at least one data transfer interface;

wherein the at least one movable inspection unit;

is configured as an unmanned vehicle unit which is movable in relation to an aircraft to be inspected during a predetermined operation phase of an aircraft, when the aircraft is not in a parking position;

comprises at least one sensor for;

detecting a characteristic value, verifying a characteristic, and/or determining a defect of the aircraft; and

is configured to generate monitoring data,

wherein the position detection arrangement is configured to detect position data of the movable inspection unit in relation to the aircraft to be inspected upon detection of the characteristic value, the verified feature, or the determined defect, and to assign the position data to the monitoring data, and

wherein the data transfer interface is configured to provide the position data with the assigned monitoring data in the form of inspection data.

2. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile inspection unit is configured to detect defects during flight operation.

3. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the at unmanned vehicle unit is configured for moving within components of an aircraft, for detecting the characteristic value, verifying the characteristic, and/or determining the defect in the components from an interior side of the component.

4. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one movable inspection unit is configured to verify structural features during the predetermined operating phase, comprising a landing phase and/or a takeoff phase, and to provide the inspection data relating to a load condition.

5. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mobile inspection unit is configured as an aircraft-related inspection unit for at least one of:

i) accompanying the aircraft and warn of bird strike and/or prevent bird strike during a predetermined operating phase comprising at least one of a landing phase and a takeoff phase; and

ii) controlling an implementation rate of de-icing.

6. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the unmanned vehicle unit is configured as at least one of:

a drone flying along the aircraft; and

a unit driving along the aircraft.

7. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the position detection arrangement comprises a position measuring system configured for at least one of:

determining internal position data within a mobile coordinate system in direct relation to the aircraft; and

determining external position data within a fix local coordinate system in indirect relation to the aircraft.

8. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising a communication device for feedback of the inspection data to a pilot and/or an operating system of the aircraft.

9. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to implement at least one measuring principle from the following group:

Thermography;

Laser light sectioning method;

Stray light method;

Laser time-of-flight measurement;

Image recognition;

Pattern recognition;

Magnetic resonance; and

Triangulation, and

wherein the at least one movable inspection unit comprises at least one sensor from the following group;

Camera;

Ultrasonic sensor; and

Gas sensor.

10. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of movable inspection units;

and

wherein the plurality of movable inspection units cooperate with each other.

11. The aircraft inspection system according to claim 1, wherein at least one movable inspection unit is configured as a bi-functional unit, by which a determined defect can be repaired at least temporarily.

12. An aircraft comprising:

an operating system for operating the aircraft; and

an aircraft inspection system comprising;

at least one movable inspection unit;

a position detection arrangement; and

at least one data transfer interface;

wherein the at least one movable inspection unit;

is configured as an unmanned vehicle unit which is movable in relation to an aircraft to be inspected during a predetermined operation phase of the aircraft, when the aircraft is not in parking position;

comprises at least one sensor for;

detecting a characteristic value, verifying a characteristic, and/or determining a defect of an aircraft; and

is configured to generate monitoring data;

wherein the position detection arrangement is configured to detect position data of the movable inspection unit in relation to the aircraft to be inspected upon detection of the characteristic value, the verified feature, or the determined defect, and to assign the position data to the monitoring data;

wherein the data transfer interface is configured to provide the position data with the assigned monitoring data in the form of inspection data, and

wherein the inspection data are taken into account for operating the aircraft.

13. The aircraft according to claim 12, wherein the operating system comprises a central control unit;

wherein the inspection data are supplied to the central control unit; and

wherein the central control unit adapts the operation of the aircraft depending on the inspection data.

14. A method for inspecting an aircraft, the aircraft being in a predetermined operation phase, when the aircraft is not in a parking position, the method comprising:

a) moving an unmanned movable inspection unit in relation to an aircraft to be inspected in the predetermined operation phase;

wherein at least one sensor is provided for detecting a characteristic value, for verifying a characteristic, and/or for determining a defect of an aircraft;

b) detecting the characteristic value, verifying the characteristic, and/or determining the defect by the sensor,

c) generating monitoring data;

d) detecting position data of the movable inspection unit in relation to the aircraft to be inspected upon detecting the characteristic value, in case of the verified feature, or in the event of the determined defect;

e) assigning the position data to the monitoring data; and

f) providing the position data with the assigned monitoring data as inspection data.