UAV-Deployable Multi-Sensor Corrosion Interrogator System

To address this Navy and Office of Naval Research (ONR) need, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (Intellisense) proposes to develop a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-deployable MUlti-Sensor Corrosion Interrogator (UAV-MUSCI) system based on integration of three compact corrosion sensors into a rugged compact housing that can be deployed on a UAV. Specifically, the innovation in using proven corrosion sensors provides subsurface corrosion detection along with surface corrosion characterization, thus allowing the assessment of the condition of a guy wire in situ and identification of degradation and potential areas of repair needs before major damage has occurred. The UAV-MUSCI sensors use three different physical principles of remote corrosion detection that together enhance the reliability of inspection and corrosion characterization of structural guys under tension in real time. In addition, this UAV-MUSCI prototype will meet or even exceed the ONR’s mobility requirement for subsurface corrosion detection along with surface corrosion characterization up to hundreds of feet away from the operator. In particular, the UAV-MUSCI prototype will enable guy wire inspection at 1500 ft height above ground and 2300 ft travel length in one direction. The robust UAV-MUSCI packaging will allow the prototype to operate under harsh maritime environmental conditions. In Phase I, Intellisense will develop a concept for a UAV prototype with a multiple nondestructive evaluation (NDE) sensor configuration to characterize corrosion, identify areas of further interest, and demonstrate the feasibility of the concept via simulation and laboratory experiments on coupons prepared with corrosion to meet the operational functionalities in frequency, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and corrosion/defect size and position. A comprehensive report including the concept designs and output modeling, and a Phase II production and testing plan will be presented to ONR / Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific. In Phase II, Intellisense will develop a UAV-MUSCI system, assess the accuracy of its corrosion characterization, and provide a report that documents the design options for a prototype system that includes results of operations and type/level/fidelity of corrosion inspection performance. Intellisense will also provide a Phase III plan to ONR 35 / NIWC Pacific for prototype evaluation and will deliver the system for evaluation by the NIWC Pacific. In Phase III Intellisense will refine the UAV system and demonstrate corrosion identification, characterization, and analysis to NIWC Pacific and provide a report containing designs and test data. Intellisense will also investigate available options for UAV corrosion assessment for civilian infrastructures such as wind turbine blades and ship hulls for large-scale corrosion inspection.