METHOD FOR INSPECTING AN AIRBORNE VEHICLE

• US 20150302669A1
• Filed: 04/21/2015
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Airbus, Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus, Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: GONNSEN, Johannes, THIEME, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/692,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302669A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0075 by means of external apparatus, e.g. test benches or portable test systems G01M5/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target

Abstract

A method for inspecting an airborne vehicle involves equipping an unmanned mobile vehicle, UMV, with at least one sensor, maneuvering the UMV through an interior of the airborne vehicle, recording a plurality of scan parameters in the interior of the airborne vehicle by using the at least one sensor, associating the plurality of scan parameters with spatial positions within the airborne vehicle, and generating a parameter map of the interior of the airborne vehicle according to the associated spatial positions.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting an airborne vehicle, comprising:

equipping an unmanned mobile vehicle, UMV, with at least one sensor;

maneuvering the UMV through an interior of the airborne vehicle;

recording a plurality of scan parameters in the interior of the airborne vehicle by using the at least one sensor;

associating the plurality of scan parameters with spatial positions within the airborne vehicle; and

generating a parameter map of the interior of the airborne vehicle according to the associated spatial positions.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the UMV is an unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the maneuvering of the UAV comprises:

autonomously determining reference points within the interior of the airborne vehicle by the UAV;

calibrating a pre-stored navigation route of the interior of the airborne vehicle according to the determined reference points; and

autonomously navigating the UAV through the interior of the airborne vehicle according to the calibrated navigation route.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the UAV comprises a quadrocopter.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more of a camera, a laser scanner, an ultrasonic sensor, a magnetic sensor, an infrared sensor, a barcode scanner, a chemical sensor, a gas sensor, a metal detector and a biosensors.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein recording a plurality of scan parameters comprises optically recording optical machine-readable representation of data relating to devices or structures within the interior of the airborne vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the encoded information comprises one of more of linear barcodes, matrix barcodes, QR codes, pin numbers, vehicle identification numbers and color codes.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein recording a plurality of scan parameters comprises wear or fatigue parameters of corresponding devices and structures within the interior of the airborne vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the recording comprises recording sound or ultrasound reflection of the devices and structures within the interior of the airborne vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

remotely transmitting the generated parameter map to a service and maintenance facility.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the remotely transmitted parameter map is used to update manufacturing and homologation papers of the airborne vehicle.