Method and System for Evaluating a Structural Integrity of an Aerial Vehicle

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This invention describes a method and system for evaluating the structural integrity of aerial vehicles (such as drones or small aircraft) by using their own engines to create controlled vibrations while the vehicle is not in flight. Sensors capture the resulting vibrational responses, and the system analyzes specific characteristics (such as frequencies and damping factors) to detect any deviations from expected values. These deviations can indicate damage or deterioration, like cracks or delaminations in composite structures, allowing maintenance or repairs to be conducted before failure occurs.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Routine, automated health checks for drones before or after flight to detect structural damage.
• In-line quality control during manufacturing of small aerial vehicles using built-in sensors and motors.
• Remote or self-diagnostic maintenance for autonomous or difficult-to-access aerial vehicles (e.g., inspection drones, delivery drones).
• Early detection of defects in composite fiber parts of aerial vehicles, reducing the risk of catastrophic failure.
• Integration into personal air mobility vehicles to assure passenger and operator safety.
• Use in fleet management systems to track and predict maintenance needs for large numbers of aerial vehicles.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables non-destructive, automated, and cost-effective structural health monitoring using components already present on the aerial vehicle (engines and built-in sensors).
• Reduces or eliminates the need for heavy, expensive, or external inspection devices, preserving weight and flight efficiency.
• Detects both obvious and subtle damage (e.g., internal composite delamination) that might not be visible from outside.
• Allows for regular health assessments as part of a maintenance routine, helping prevent accidents and extending vehicle lifespan.
• Adaptable to various sizes and types of aerial vehicles, especially those built with composite materials and limited payload capacity.
• Can utilize advanced statistical or machine learning classifiers for precise, context-aware diagnostics, further improving reliability and minimizing false positives.

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Patent Abstract

A method of evaluating a structural integrity of an aerial vehicle comprising one or more engines comprises selectively driving said engine/s of said aerial vehicle according to a driving pattern unsuitable to put or maintain the aerial vehicle in flight, recording a vibrational response of at least a part of the aerial vehicle to said selective driving of said engine/s, determining a plurality of modal parameters of said vibrational response, in particular an eigenfrequency of said vibrational response and/or a damping factor corresponding to said eigenfrequency, and classifying said structural integrity based on a deviation of said plurality of modal parameters from baseline modal parameters for said aerial vehicle.