EX-SCAN: Autonomous Inspection System for Aircraft Surface Coatings

Current methods for inspecting the external surfaces of low-observable (LO) aircraft are time consuming and error prone. Technology that can reduce inspection times and minimize human error will benefit the Air Force by increasing assessment reliability and aircraft availability while reducing maintenance costs. To address this need, Intelligent Automation (IAI) and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) propose to continue developing EX-SCAN, an autonomous non-contact optical inspection system that can detect, register, and characterize defects in OML surface coatings for LO assessment.The key innovation of EX-SCAN is the integration of a self-localizing mobile robot equipped with an array of cameras and corresponding software to ensure rapid, autonomous, 100% coverage of the aircraft OML.In Phase I, IAI and CMU developed a functional, scale prototype of an inspection robot to scan a scale model aircraft, developed initial image processing algorithms, and conducted a study on the feasibility of scanning a full-size aircraft. In Phase II, the team will mature the system by adding autonomous mobility and navigation, and enhancing the defect processing software. Focus areas will include enhancing the localization technology, expanding defect detection, coordinating defect registration technology with movable cameras and localization software, improving characterization technology, and integrating these capabilities into a system.