Three-dimensional inspection twin for remote visual inspection of a vehicle

An inspection system for generating a three-dimensional (3D) visually representative model of a vehicle, the inspection system comprising:

• a plurality of imaging devices positioned within a hangar at a plurality of distinct locations and configured to acquire images from a number of viewpoints of different sections of the vehicle within the hangar;
• and
• a computer configured to:
• receive the images from the plurality of imaging devices;
• perform photogrammetry on the images to extract a profile of the vehicle;
• create a wireframe mesh from the profile;
• generate a 3D model of the vehicle based on the wireframe mesh, the wireframe mesh including a 3D mesh of polygon faces, a texture image, and a UV map that maps photo pixels to the polygon faces, wherein generating the 3D model includes receiving the images as 3D points of the vehicle and associated color information, converting the 3D points into the wireframe mesh, and using the color information to create the texture image and the UV map;
• perform image processing of the images to determine if one or more areas on a surface of the vehicle have a defect;
• append one or more markers onto respective one or more areas of the 3D model that correspond to the one or more areas on the surface of the vehicle having the defect such that the defect is appended onto the 3D model, each of the one or more markers including a respective user-selectable digital record containing a defect type, a severity level of the defect, and a stepped resolution of the defect enabling zooming to enhance details of the defect, wherein the user-selectable digital records further contain information describing the one or more areas on the surface of the vehicle having the defect and any repair of the defect in the one or more areas;
• and
• generate a display of the 3D model of the vehicle including the one or more markers that indicate the one or more areas on the surface of the vehicle having the defect.

A method of generating a three-dimensional (3D) visually representative model of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving images from a plurality of imaging devices positioned within a hangar at a plurality of distinct locations, the imaging devices being configured to acquire the images from a number of viewpoints of different sections of the vehicle within the hangar;
• performing photogrammetry on the images to extract a profile of the vehicle;
• creating a wireframe mesh from the profile;
• generating a 3D model of the vehicle based on the wireframe mesh, the wireframe mesh including a 3D mesh of polygon faces, a texture image, and a UV map that maps photo pixels to the polygon faces, wherein generating the 3D model includes receiving the images as 3D points of the vehicle and associated color information, converting the 3D points into the wireframe mesh, and using the color information to create the texture image and the UV map;
• performing image processing of the images to determine if one or more areas on a surface of the vehicle have a defect;
• appending one or more markers onto respective one or more areas of the 3D model that correspond to the one or more areas on the surface of the vehicle having the defect such that the defect is appended onto the 3D model, each of the one or more markers including a respective user-selectable digital record containing a defect type of the defect, a severity level of the defect, and a stepped resolution of the defect enabling zooming to enhance details of the defect;
• and
• generating a display of the 3D model of the vehicle including the one or more markers that indicate the one or more areas on the surface of the vehicle having the defect.