Infrastructure Inspection Drone | Personal Project | 2023
Airscope
Around 128 bridges
were collapsed annually in the U.S.
Because more than 17,000 bridges are behind the schedule of regular inspection.
The traditional way to inspect a bridge is...
Labor Intensive
Inefficient
Inaccurate
Traditional Inspection Steps
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1
Visual
Testing
2
Non-Destructive
Testing (NDT)
3
Destructive
Testing (DT)(Rarely)
Visual inspection involves manually checking the bridge's surface for visible signs of damage, such as cracks, rust, and wear, using basic tools like binoculars or cameras.
NDT employs advanced techniques (e.g., ultrasonic, magnetic particle, and ground-penetrating radar) to detect internal and hidden defects in the bridge without damaging it.
DT analyzes material properties and structural integrity by intentionally applying stress or loads to samples until failure, typically conducted in a lab setting to avoid damaging the actual bridge.
Current Market Solution
Drone
Visual
Testing
Drone visual inspection capture images and videos of a structure from various angles and elevations, allowing for a detailed examination of areas that are difficult or unsafe to access manually.
Designs
Airscope Solution
One-stop solution for
visual (radar + camera)
and NDT (ultrasonic) testing.
+
Modular designed drone enable multi-tasks inspection and testing; durable structure design allows operate in harsh environments, enhancing their versatility and application range.
Sturdy & Flexible
The drone needs to fly as close as possible to the bridge surface in order to conduct the NDT test; therefore, a firm frame/support is necessary. Moreover, due to the different shape and angle of the bridge, a flexible head/camera is also essential.
Multi-tasks Module
The head could be switched between camera/EMAT module & LiDAR scan module for different needs during the inspection
Inspection Process
Get ready
Compare to traditional inspection team, Airscope only require 1~2 engineers on the site to transport the equipment and control the drone.
Flexibility
The head could be turned in 180° for surfaces in different angles
LiDAR Scan
First operating the drone scan the environment, generate 3D information and upload to the cloud database, as the reference for self-pilot inspection and future repair/rebuild.
Visual Inspction
Then setting up autopilot route for visual inspection, usually from the underneath of the bridge.
Machine Learning
Through the visual machine learning, Airscope could find the potential damages and cracks on the surface, anchor the position on the map
EMAT* Testing
With the sturdy and well-protected design, Airscope could approach to the cracks and conduct EMAT testing, which is the non-destructive testing.
*EMAT or Electro Magnetic Acoustic Transducer is an Ultrasonic Testing (UT) technique that generates the sound in the part inspected instead of the transducer.
Modular design
Easy to repair/replace
"Color follow function"
Every part painted with yellow means it is detachable; also, the light color enable finding potential damages more easily.
AIRSCOPE System
AIRSCOPE works closely with the government and has developed a cloud database to monitor the condition of every bridge. This initiative enhances the efficiency of future maintenance or reconstruction efforts.
Real-time Analyze
The engineer could receive the report immediately and analyze the seriousness of the damages. If there is no report sent, they could inspect the bridge from the upper surface.
Global Market
AIRSCOPE's services extend beyond just bridge inspections; it sees potential in any infrastructure requiring extensive labor for maintaining, opening doors to a broader range of opportunities.
AR Mockup
Adapting AR technology to bring the concept into real life
