# US 11,029,708 B2 · Method and apparatus for remote, interior inspection of cavities using an unmanned aircraft system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,708 B2 - Document ID: US11029708B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/124,005 - Filed: 2018-09-06 - Published: 2019-01-24 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-27 - Assignees: Versatol, LLC - Applicants: Versatol, LLC - Inventors: Jared David Salzmann; J Eric Corban - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029708B2 ## CPC - G05D 1/101: {specially adapted for aircraft} - B64C 27/04: Helicopters - B64D 1/02: Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles (jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12) - B64U 10/10: Rotorcrafts - B64U 60/50: with landing legs - G05D 1/0094: {involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target} - B64D 2203/00: Aircraft or airfield lights using LEDs - B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors - B64U 2101/26: for manufacturing, inspections or repairs - B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography - B64U 2101/67: the UAVs comprising tethers for lowering the goods - B64U 2101/70: for use inside enclosed spaces, e.g. in buildings or in vehicles - B64U 2201/10: autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] - B64U 2201/104: using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS - B64U 2201/20: Remote controls - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## Abstract An interior length of a confined space is inspected by autonomously flying an unmanned aerial vehicle having a sensor pod. The sensor pod can be tethered to the unmanned aerial vehicle and lowered into the confined space from above perhaps by an electromechanical hoist. An altitude or heading of the sensor pod can be measured. The confined space can be the flue of a chimney. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An unmanned aircraft for autonomously inspecting an interior surface comprising: a computer; at least one distance sensor; wherein the computer monitors the at least one distance sensor in near-real time to measure a distance of the unmanned aircraft from at least one interior surface; and wherein the computer utilizes the at least one distance measured by the at least one distance sensor in near-real time to autonomously position the unmanned aircraft in more than one dimension relative to the at least one interior surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An unmanned aircraft according to claim 1, further comprising: an inspection sensor; and wherein the computer utilizes a distance measured by the at least one distance sensor to record a position of an inspection sensor in more than one dimension relative to an interior surface in near-real time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An unmanned aircraft according to claim 2, wherein the computer utilizes a distance measured by the at least one distance sensor in near-real time, a feedback control algorithm, and thrust from one or more propellers to autonomously control to position the inspection sensor into contact with the at least one interior surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) An unmanned aircraft according to claim 2, further comprising an arm integrated with an inspection sensor; and wherein the computer utilizes the at least one distance measured by the at least one distance sensor in near-real time to autonomously position the arm integrated with the associated inspection sensor into contact with an interior surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An unmanned aircraft according to claim 4, further comprising an actuator operatively connected to said arm under control of the computer to autonomously position the at least one arm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An unmanned aircraft according to claim 1, comprising a tethered sensor pod comprising at least an inspection sensor; and wherein a computer utilizes a distance measured by a distance sensor, a feedback control algorithm, and thrust from one or more propellers to autonomously position a tethered sensor pod into contact with an interior surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method of autonomously inspecting an interior surface of a confined space comprising the steps of: (a) autonomously flying the unmanned aircraft of claim 1 in the confined space; (b) monitoring at least one distance sensor in near-real time to measure the unmanned aircrafts distance from at least one interior surface of the confined space; and (c) autonomously positioning the unmanned aircraft relative to the at least one interior surface in more than one dimension using the at least one distance measured by the at least one distance sensor in near-real time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of: (d) autonomously controlling to position the unmanned aircraft in the confined space to contact the at least one inspection sensor with the at least one interior surface of the confined space; and (e) autonomously recording a position of the at least one inspection sensor in near real time relative to the at least one interior surface in more than one dimension. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, wherein said step (a) of autonomously flying the unmanned aircraft comprises the sub step of (a)(1) autonomously flying in a confined space an unmanned aircraft comprising an arm integrated with an inspection sensor; and wherein said method further comprises the step of: (d) autonomously flying the unmanned aircraft in the confined space to contact the at least one arm of with the at least one interior surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein said step (a)(1) of autonomously flying in a confined space an unmanned aircraft comprising an arm integrated with an inspection sensor comprises the substep of (a)(1)(i) autonomously flying in a confined space an unmanned aircraft comprising an arm integrated with an inspection sensor, the arm comprising an actuator operatively connected to said arm under control of the computer; and wherein said method further comprises the step of: (e) autonomously positioning the arm using the actuator under control of the computer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, wherein said step (a) of autonomously flying the unmanned aircraft comprises the substep of (a)(1) autonomously flying in a confined space an unmanned aircraft comprising a tethered sensor pod comprising at least an inspection sensor; and wherein said method further comprises the step of: (d) autonomously flying the unmanned aircraft in the confined space to contact the tethered pod comprising the at least one inspection sensor with the at least one interior surface.