Photo courtesy WSU

Wichita State University’s announced its National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) has received a patent for a new robotic system designed to inspect and help repair composite aircraft parts. The system, called VISION, is an autonomous and semi-autonomous inspection cell that uses a central industrial robot equipped with interchangeable tools to perform inspections and assist with repairs.

The VISION robot can be outfitted with specialized fixtures to handle components such as rotorcraft and rotating blades. Over time, the system can be trained to recognize damage using image-based inspection data, improving its accuracy and performance with continued use.

Developed at NIAR’s Automation Research Center in Wichita, the system was recently installed at the Mississippi Army National Guard Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot (AVCRAD) in Gulfport. The project was led by Matt Tomblin, director of NIAR’s Automation Research Center, with support from NIAR leaders including John Tomblin, Waruna Seneviratne, Caleb Saathoff, and Christopher Pini.