US 12,084,182 B2
UAV for continuous ultrasound testing (UT) scans with a flexible payload
Fadl Abdellatif, Thuwal (SA); Jeff S. Shamma, Champaign, IL (US); Sultan Shaqaq, Dhahran (SA); Abdullah Arab, Dhahran (SA); Abdullah A. Alkhder, Dhahran (SA); and Sahejad Patel, Thuwal (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA); and KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Thuwal (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA); and KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Thuwal (SA)
Filed on Aug. 5, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/444,515.
Prior Publication US 2023/0045635 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B64C 39/02 (2023.01); G01N 29/24 (2006.01); B64U 101/00 (2023.01)
CPC B64C 39/024 (2013.01) [G01N 29/2475 (2013.01); B64U 2101/00 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for probing a portion of a structure, comprising:
a chassis;
a plurality of propellers mounted to the chassis;
a plurality of probes that collect data;
a processor configured by code executing therein to generate a first signal and a second signal; and
a flexible holder mounted to the chassis and adapted to receive the first and second signals from the processor and to retain the plurality of probes,
wherein the flexible holder, responsive to the first signal, is configurable by the processor to be set in a first configuration in which the flexible holder is pressed against the portion of the structure,
wherein the flexible holder in the first configuration, responsive to the second signal, is configurable by the processor to deform from the first configuration into a second configuration in which the plurality of probes is arranged around the portion of the structure,
wherein the plurality of probes scan the portion of the structure, and
wherein the flexible holder in the second configuration, responsive to the first signal, is configurable by the processor to deform back from the second configuration into the first configuration.