Thesis Defence: Visual Inspection Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Harsh Environments

Keaton Roch, supervised by Dr. Hadi Mohammadi, will defend their dissertation titled “Visual Inspection Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Harsh Environments” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering.

An abstract for Keaton’s thesis is included below.

Examinations are open to all members of the campus community as well as the general public.

To access a zoom link to attend this defence please contact the supervisor at hadi.mohammadi@ubc.ca.

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ABSTRACT

When trying to preserve the integrity and safety of heavy equipment, pressure vessels, storage tanks, and structures, it is essential to perform regular visual inspections. Unfortunately, the areas these inspections take place aren’t always easily accessible and can involve harsh environments. Subjecting inspectors to these areas can pose health and safety risks while also being very costly. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are a relatively new tool used to conduct visual inspections in difficult areas to access. However, UAVs have not been designed to operate in harsh environments associated with extreme temperatures, humidity, and/or strong winds. The goal of this research project is to ultimately create and test a visual inspection UAV capable
of handling those aforementioned conditions. This specialized UAV will be equipped with useful inspection accessories such as a dual camera system and GPS (global positioning system) assistance. Initial research will be conducted to determine the subcomponents and their function/loads specified to each. An iterative construction process will then take place to ensure
proper function within these environments.