Aircraft surface fatigue crack inspection device based on unmanned aerial vehicle vision

By combining a drone vision system with airflow-triggered airbag inflation, the problem of fatigue crack detection during aircraft takeoff and taxiing has been solved, achieving efficient and safe monitoring of surface cracks on aircraft.

CN121877889APending Publication Date: 2026-04-17NORTHWESTERN POLYTECHNICAL UNIV
0 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202610016464.4
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2026-01-07
Publication Date
2026-04-17

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing methods for detecting fatigue cracks on aircraft surfaces are inefficient and have poor safety, especially during the takeoff and rollout phase, where rapid and stable detection is difficult to achieve.

Method used

Design a device for inspecting aircraft surface fatigue cracks based on UAV vision. It adopts an image acquisition module, a snap-fit ​​structure, an airbag, a flow guide box, an air pump, and an airflow triggering component. The airflow triggers the expansion of the airbag to eject the UAV from the aircraft. The device is monitored by combining main and secondary cameras and a machine vision system.

Benefits of technology

It enables direct monitoring of fatigue cracks during the aircraft takeoff and rollout phase, avoiding any impact on flight and improving detection efficiency and safety.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of fatigue monitoring, in particular to an unmanned aerial vehicle vision-based aircraft surface fatigue crack inspection device, which comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle, an image acquisition module, a clamping structure, an air bag, a flow guide box, an air pump and an air flow triggering assembly, and is characterized in that the image acquisition module is arranged on the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the clamping structure is arranged at the bottom of the unmanned aerial vehicle; the air bag is arranged on the side, attached to the fuselage, of the clamping structure. The flow guide box is arranged at the top of a fuselage of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet are formed in the flow guide box; the air pump is arranged in the flow guide box, the output end of the air pump communicates with the air bag, and the airflow triggering assembly is used for triggering a power source of the unmanned aerial vehicle to be communicated with the air pump in the flow guide box under the airflow effect to inflate the air bag when the aircraft taxies and takes off. According to the method, the fatigue cracks of the fuselage of the aircraft are visually monitored in the taxiing stage before the aircraft takes off, the monitored unmanned aerial vehicle is ejected when the aircraft takes off, and flight of the aircraft is not affected.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art