# US 12,404,045 B2 · Unmanned aerial vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,404,045 B2 - Document ID: US12404045B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/706,133 - Filed: 2022-11-07 - Published: 2024-12-26 - Granted: 2025-09-02 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-05 - Assignees: Flyability SA - Applicants: Flyability SA - Inventors: Stefano Zampieri; Orsika Bojtar; Ludovic Daler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12404045B2 ## CPC - B64C 27/006: {Safety devices} - B64U 10/13: Flying platforms - B64U 20/30: for safety, e.g. with frangible components (rotor guards B64U30/299) - B64U 30/299: Rotor guards (ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60) - G01N 29/225: {Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation} - G01N 29/26: Arrangements for orientation or scanning {by relative movement of the head and the sensor (mechanical steering of sound transducers or their beams G10K11/35)} - G01N 29/265: by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material - G01N 29/28: providing acoustic coupling {, e.g. water (impedance matching G10K11/02)} - B64U 2101/26: for manufacturing, inspections or repairs - B64U 2101/29: for cleaning - B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography - G01N 2291/0258: Structural degradation, e.g. fatigue of composites, ageing of oils - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract An unmanned aerial vehicle for non-destructive testing includes: an outer protective cage, a propulsion system mounted inside the outer protective cage and fixed thereto, an arm having a first end attached to the outer protective cage, and a non-destructive testing sensor mounted at a second end of the arm. The arm extends outward from the outer protective cage, the arm having a length between 1 and 50 percent of an overall linear dimension of the outer protective cage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An unmanned aerial vehicle for non-destructive testing comprising: an outer protective cage, a propulsion system mounted inside the outer protective cage and fixed thereto, an arm comprising a first end attached to the outer protective cage, a plurality of mounting supports fastened to the outer protective cage in respective spaced-apart fastening portions of the outer protective case, each one of the mounting supports are reversibly attachable to the first end, the first end is reversibly attached to a mounting support selected from the plurality of mounting supports, and a non-destructive testing sensor mounted at a second end of the arm, wherein the arm extends outward from the outer protective cage, the arm having a length between 1 and 50 percent of an overall linear dimension of the outer protective cage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer protective cage has an at least partially spherical or spheroidal outer shape, the overall linear dimension of the outer protective cage is the diameter or the equatorial diameter of the at least partially spherical or spheroidal outer shape, respectively. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the arm extends along a longitudinal development from the first end to the second end, and wherein the length is measured along the longitudinal development of the arm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the length of the arm is between 1 and 30 percent of the overall linear dimension of the outer protective cage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the arm comprises a flexible section between the first end and the second end. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the flexible section comprises a spring, an elastomer and/or at least one adjustable joint. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the arm extends along a longitudinal development from the first end to the second end, the flexible section extending along the longitudinal development of the arm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the arm extends along a longitudinal development from the first end to the second end, the flexible section comprising a coil spring extending along the longitudinal development of the arm and/or a plurality of adjustable joints connected in series along the longitudinal development of the arm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the non-destructive testing sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising at least one magnet mounted at the second end, the at least one magnet securable to a surface of a structure for non-destructive testing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mounting supports comprises at least two mounting supports fastened to the outer protective cage in respective fastening portions thereof which are vertically and/or horizontally spaced apart from each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the arm comprises a cleaning tool for cleaning a surface of a structure for non-destructive testing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the arm comprises a tool-change mechanism that reversibly positions selectively the cleaning tool or the non-destructive testing sensor in an operative configuration at the second end of the arm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a couplant dispensing system for delivering a couplant onto the non-destructive testing sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the couplant dispensing system comprises a couplant dispensing device mounted inside the outer protective cage, a couplant dispensing nozzle arranged at the second end of the arm, and a tubing system for fluidly connecting the couplant dispensing device and nozzle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the couplant dispensing device includes a couplant reservoir and a pump fluidly connected thereto for delivering the couplant from the couplant reservoir to the couplant dispensing nozzle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the pump is peristaltic pump. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the couplant reservoir comprises a cylindrical container having a first opening that is fluidly connected to a suction side of the pump, and a second opening that is in fluidic communication with the external environment and thus subject to atmospheric pressure.