System to automate a non-destructive test for stress or stress change using unmanned aerial vehicle and ultrasound

    公开(公告)号:US20220036744A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-02-03

    申请号:US16945873

    申请日:2020-08-02

    摘要: This invention discloses a system to automate a non-destructive test (NDT) for measuring stress or stress change developed within an object during a certain time period by using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and ultrasound technique. The system comprises a ground control station (GCS), UAVs and reference positioning modules as its basis. Given a test plan containing test points over a surface of a test object in 3D point coordinates, UAVs can fly autonomously to the points and perform ultrasound measurements on them with a single or a plurality of ultrasound transducers in an automated manner. Moreover, after receiving trigger signals from the GCS, a UAV can also perform the flight and the measurement synchronously with other UAVs. After a measurement, an acquired ultrasound echo signal is taken with another echo signal acquired at a different time point to compute stress or stress change.