| Abstract |
Today, robots are expected to be used for the inspection of infrastructures such as bridges. One
important task in bridge inspection is to acquire clear images of its various parts for further damage
evaluation. However, this task has not yet been completely realized because of the complexity
of bridge structures. For this situation, a UAV with a passive rotating spherical shell (PRSS) that
can easily maneuver while protecting itself is introduced. In this paper, we explain the development
of the PRSS unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on the design strategy.We then analyze its
performance through simulated bridge inspection. Finally, we discuss the results of actual bridge
experiments. The spherical shell has a size (D =0.95 m) and structure (fullerene) that is well-suited
for bridge inspection applications. It can also handle an impact equivalent to 2 m/s, which is more
than the UAV's maximum flight speed. Test flight experiment also validated the characteristic of
PRSS that shows a stable flight during disturbances. The image test also shows that the visual system
can provide a full overhead view of the bridge. Likewise, it can detect a 0.1-mm wide line that
replicates the damage (e.g., a crack) from a position 0.5maway and while the cameramoves at 0.3
m/s. These characteristics have yielded a system that can acquire inspection images from critical
parts of the bridge. An evaluation by third parties confirmed the effectiveness of the system. Further,
the system satisfies the mandatory requirements of the Next Generation Robots for Social
Infrastructure (NGRSI) program. |
Mindanao State
University - Iligan Institute of Technology