In situ turbofan inspection for advanced aircraft

5th generation fighter aircraft utilize integrally bladed rotors (IBRs).  IBRs are both difficult and expensive to manufacture.  Furthermore, IBRs are a scarce asset for the advanced engine supply chain making a replacement IBRs difficult to obtain which can negatively affect engine availability.  Blade Diagnostics Corporation is the world leader in IBR mistuning and high cycle fatigue (HCF) inspection and analysis.  BDC's state-of-the-art SmartBlend technology is utilized by the USAF and JPO to inspect and protect F119 and F135 engines from HCF issues.  While SmartBlend is the current state-of-the-art for IBR mistuning and HCF inspection, the IBR in question must be disassembled from the engine, requiring the engine be first removed from the aircraft. It would be advantageous if a relatively simple inspection could be performed, preferably autonomously, in-situ, or on-wing, by an automated inspection device, or robot, that can be inserted into the engine inlet and autonomously position itself to perform a relatively simple inspection of the low-pressure compressor.  The proposed research intends to investigate the feasibility of an in-situ mistuning/HCF inspection of low pressure compressor stages. The ultimate goal of the proposed research is not to replace SmartBlend inspections but to support it from the field with a flight-line means of rapidly assessing the mistuning state of an engine fan stage.  For example, in the event of a fleet wide fan blade HCF issue, such an inspection could be utilized to rapidly inspect the fleet and assist in the intelligent triage of the most vulnerable engines.