Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Drone-based neutron backscatter inspection system
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Application No.: US17655286Application Date: 2022-03-17
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Publication No.: US11892419B2Publication Date: 2024-02-06
- Inventor: Ahmad A. Al-Shammari , Soliman A. Walaie , Ahmed M. Al-Ghamdi
- Applicant: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Applicant Address: SA Dhahran
- Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
- Current Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
- Current Assignee Address: SA Dhahran
- Agency: Leason Ellis LLP
- Main IPC: G01N23/204
- IPC: G01N23/204 ; B64C39/02

Abstract:
An apparatus for inspection of a target asset comprises a drone including a body, one or more propellers coupled to the body that enable the drone to fly, and an electronic control unit coupled to or positioned within the body of the drone and coupled to the one or more propellers. The apparatus also comprises a neutron emission source and a neutron detector that are both coupled to the body of the drone and also communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to control navigation of the drone to reach the target asset, to activate the neutron emission source to radiate neutrons onto the asset and to gather data from the neutron detector which detects neutrons backscattered from the asset, indicative of a state of the asset and materials contained within the asset.
Public/Granted literature
- US20230296537A1 DRONE-BASED NEUTRON BACKSCATTER INSPECTION SYSTEM Public/Granted day:2023-09-21
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