Location-based scanner repositioning using non-destructive inspection

A method, comprising:

• storing pre-defined position data for one or more subsurface features within a structure;
• placing an inspection apparatus on a surface of the structure;
• moving a Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) scanner of the inspection apparatus relative to the surface of the structure during an NDI scan of an anomaly detection process, and generating NDI scan data with the NDI scanner;
• measuring location information for the NDI scanner on the surface of the structure with a location detector of the inspection apparatus while the NDI scanner moves during the NDI scan of the anomaly detection process;
• receiving, at a controller of the inspection apparatus, the location information from the location detector;
• correlating, at the controller, the NDI scan data and the location information with one or more anomalies detected in the structure;
• detecting, at the controller, a subsurface feature within the structure based on the NDI scan data generated during the NDI scan of the anomaly detection process;
• accessing the pre-defined position data for the subsurface feature;
• and
• repositioning the NDI scanner on the surface of the structure during the NDI scan based on the pre-defined position data for the subsurface feature.

An inspection vehicle, comprising:

• a movement system configured to move the inspection vehicle on a surface of a structure;
• a location detector configured to measure location information of the inspection vehicle on the surface of the structure while the inspection vehicle moves;
• a Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) scanner configured to generate NDI scan data while moving relative to the surface of the structure;
• and
• a controller configured to store pre-defined position data for one or more subsurface features within the structure;
• wherein the controller is configured to direct the movement system to move the inspection vehicle on the surface of the structure along a pre-defined path during an NDI scan of an anomaly detection process, to activate the NDI scanner to generate the NDI scan data, to receive the location information from the location detector, and to correlate the NDI scan data and the location information with one or more anomalies detected in the structure;
• wherein the controller is configured to detect a subsurface feature within the structure based on the NDI scan data generated during the NDI scan of the anomaly detection process,
• to access the pre-defined position data for the subsurface feature, and to reposition the inspection vehicle relative to the pre-defined path during the NDI scan based on the pre-defined position data for the subsurface feature.