While drone inspection for aircraft is still under development, the goal is to get to a point where a group of drones can fully inspect and evaluate an aircraft in as little as 30 minutes. Doing so reduces the labour hours required and can re-enforce accuracy. In fact, drone-powered aircraft inspection is about to become mainstream.

The current approach to aircraft inspection

Newly manufactured planes operating within their first economic lifetime require relatively little maintenance, but as an aircraft ages, frequent close inspection is mandatory. Now and in the past, this inspection regime involved expensive manpower.

Human inspectors are required to visually inspect an aircraft, using binoculars and heavy equipment such as cherry pickers to enable scrutiny. Given the size of an aircraft such as the Airbus A380 inspection by humans is a laborious process that can last up to 10 hours, involving multiple personnel. It is an unwelcome expense for airlines typically operating on thin margins.

The advantages of drone inspection for aircraft