An inspection machine for detecting flaws in the surface of cylindrical fuel pellets, which comprises a pellet infeed section for successively transporting pellets to be inspected, a conveyer section for successively conveying delivered pellets to a plurality of inspection points, a plurality of inspection stations for detecting, at each inspection point, flaws at the corners, peripheral surface and end faces of the pellets by utilizing variations in back pressure prevailing in a sensor caused by the contact of an air stream with said flaws, an unacceptable pellet rejection station for rejecting pellets assessed to be unacceptable at any inspection station, and an acceptable pellet outfeed section for successively collecting pellets assessed as being acceptable.