Automation Tools for NonDestructive Inspection of Aircraft: Promise of Technology Transfer from the Civilian to the Military Sector

Abstract

The FAA Aging Aircraft Research Program is supporting the development of a robotic mobile nondestructive inspection (NDI) instrument deployment tool at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) with the active participation of USAir. The program has spawned several new relationships and entities: an alliance with an ARPA-funded research program at CMU having the capability to add 3D-stereoscopic enhanced visual inspection capability, a start-up company organized to commercialize the combined technologies, and State of Pennsylvania funding to foster this commercialization. As a result of these activities and connections the civilian sector appears to be ahead of the military sector in important aspects of automation for deployment of aircraft inspection equipment. A partnership between the university researchers, the airline operator, the start-up company, and the state government is thus emerging as the likely agent for transfer of the civilian-developed technology to the military sector. 1. I...