Apparatus and method for maintaining a gas turbine engine having at least one port

A method for maintaining a gas turbine engine having at least one port, the method comprising:

• disposing, within the gas turbine engine and via the port, a tool having:
• an end effector to effect maintaining the gas turbine engine, the tool being configured to temporarily enter and exit the gas turbine engine via the at least one port and having a first portion and a second portion separated by at least a first area of articulation, wherein the first area of articulation provides at least two degrees of freedom of movement;
• a first inertial measurement unit (IMU) affixed with respect to the first portion;
• a second IMU affixed with respect to the second portion;
• and
• a control circuit operably coupled to the first IMU and the second IMU;
• by the control circuit:
• receiving first information from the first IMU regarding the first portion and receiving second information from the second IMU regarding the second portion while the tool effects the maintaining of the gas turbine engine;
• processing the first information and the second information to generate positional proprioception information as regards the first portion with respect to the second portion;
• and
• controlling stability of at least the end effector while the tool effects the maintaining of the gas turbine engine as a function, at least in part, of the positional proprioception information.