UAV Sensor Pod for Confined Space Inspection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for inspecting internal cavities, such as industrial chimneys, are expensive, time-consuming, and hazardous due to the need for human intervention, which poses risks to personnel and is inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The use of unmanned aircraft equipped with sensor pods and advanced navigation systems, including GPS, radio, laser, and ultrasonic sensors, allows for remote inspection of internal cavities by maintaining position and orientation, enabling precise control and data collection while minimizing human risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human crews use rope and crane systems to inspect internal cavities, then inspection capability is achieved, but safety risks to personnel increase and inspection efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical rope and crane systems with an unmanned aircraft system that uses aerodynamic lift and electronic propulsion. The aircraft enters the chimney flue autonomously, eliminating the need for human crews to physically traverse dangerous environments while maintaining inspection capability through onboard sensors and imaging equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The unmanned aircraft acts as an intermediary between the inspection team and the internal cavity. It carries sensors, cameras, and measurement equipment into the confined space, collecting data that is then transmitted to operators outside the hazardous environment. This intermediary approach preserves personnel safety while enabling comprehensive inspection.
2Ease of operation
If traditional rope and crane methods are used for interior inspection, then inspection can be performed, but time consumption increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming manual rope and crane operations with an unmanned aircraft that can rapidly deploy and navigate the internal cavity. The aircraft's ability to fly directly into the space and maneuver autonomously eliminates the setup and traversal time required by traditional mechanical systems, reducing inspection duration while maintaining accessibility.
3Loss of information
If human crews perform interior inspection, then direct observation is possible, but hazard exposure to personnel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The unmanned aircraft serves as an intermediary that collects inspection data from within the hazardous environment without exposing personnel to risks. Equipped with cameras, sensors, and imaging equipment, it captures high-quality visual and measurement data that is transmitted to operators outside, preserving information quality while eliminating hazard exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The unmanned aircraft creates a visual and sensor-based copy of the internal cavity conditions, allowing operators to remotely observe and analyze the environment without physical presence. This copying approach maintains complete inspection data quality while keeping personnel safely distant from harmful factors such as confined space hazards, structural instability, or environmental extremes.
Data Source
AI summary
An interior length of a confined space is inspected by autonomously flying an unmanned aerial vehicle having a sensor pod. The sensor pod can be tethered to the unmanned aerial vehicle and lowered into the confined space from above perhaps by an electromechanical hoist. An altitude or heading of the sensor pod can be measured. The confined space can be the flue of a chimney.