Measuring position determination for accurate and efficient visual inspection using UAV

Abstract

This paper presents a measuring position determination method of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for automatic visual inspection. Ensuring accuracy and considering efficiency of operations in data gathering to detect anomaly are both important functions for inspections. This method is under the assumption that the 3D model of a target facility, required accuracy of gathering data and specs of instruments are given. The triangular polygons for shape description of the 3D model are reconstructed to those for measurement and the measuring positions; the waypoints that an UAV travels to gather the accurate data of the target facility efficiently are calculated systematically. If the measuring positions are obtained, the flight path appropriating for visual inspection can be planned by general path-planning methods by setting the measuring positions as waypoints. For evaluation of efficiency of measurement, the proposed method is examined through computer simulations on the assumption that an UAV measure image data of two typical bridges; a girder bridge and an arch bridge.