SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Inspection of naval vessels is arduous, time consuming, and risky. Automated inspection systems would provide valuable information more efficiently than manual inspection and help prioritize worker effort. There are no current UAS systems that can operate in enclosed environments. Adapting existing quadrotor drone to carry electronics for inspection has many hurdles for successful task completion. A new drone configuration using a ducted coaxial rotor system is proposed with greater aerodynamically efficiency to achieve longer flight time, robust to incidental contact due restricted movement, and integrates inspection electronics into the body of the duct for a more integrated design. Electronics for inspection, route-planning, control and stability, and communication to the base station should comply with guidelines for UAS systems with critical components and applicable cybersecurity measures.
