Airline company KLM will utilize drones to carry out visual airplane evaluations. To this end, KLM’s upkeep arm has actually participated in a collaboration with the Dutch start-up Mainblades. According to KLM, the brand-new method is much faster and much safer, because upkeep employees no longer need to go as much as the height. As part of the cooperation, the technology will be more developed to enable other applications too.

Automated procedure

The assessments are carried out by a DJI M300 with a laser scanner and high-resolution cam on board. By means of AI, the electronic camera images are looked for variances other than routine wear and tear. The drone will automatically fly the necessary laps around the airplane. To this end, the sizes of various aircraft types are pre-programmed in the software.

Initially, the drones will be used to carry out generic visual examinations and inspections on lightning strikes. It will likewise be examined whether the drones can likewise perform other types of assessments, such as checking the paint layer and the mapping of dents and pips. These will then be imagined in the Mainblades app.

In the open air test

Last summertime, Mainblades software application was very first evaluated at the Dutch Drone Centre Aviolanda, in the open air of an active airport (Woensdrecht). That was a European. A decommissioned Airbus A330 from KLM was looked at. However, the service can also be utilized in a closed garage.

(via Aviation News– cover photo: Mainblades)