Thermographic drone NDT: concepts, case studies

In this talk the concepts of thermography inspection of structures using a drone are discussed including benefits, challenges, case studies. Approaches for thermogram processing based on deep learning and the possible addition of a visible channel combined with proper data fusion are overviewed as well. Recent aircrafts incorporate an high content of composite materials such as Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) used in wings, fuselage, etc. Such materials require proper inspection to detect and assess severity of embedded defects present at manufacturing stages such as porosities and in-service defects (delaminations and disbonds). Since surfaces to inspect are large and time for inspection should be limited as much as possible, quick inspection schemes are preferred. Many other fields could benefit from thermographic drone NDT, for instance civil engineering with large structures sometimes difficult and dangerous to reach. Finally, some case studies are presented including a flying demonstrator as well. (author)