Runway maintenance apparatus
AssigneeRoboxi AS
InventorKen Erik Steine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aerodrome maintenance apparatus for monitoring runway and taxiway conditions and remotely reporting the status of the runway or taxiway. The apparatus comprises a drive unit operable to provide self-controlled rolling movement of the apparatus along a surface of a runway or taxiway of the aerodrome, a detection unit comprising one or more sensors configured to detect one or more parameters of the surface, and a communications unit comprising a transceiver arranged to transfer data derived from the detection unit from the apparatus to a remote server. The apparatus is arranged, in use, to move along the surface and transfer data representative of one or more parameters of the surface to a remote server.
Claims15
An aerodrome maintenance apparatus for monitoring runway and taxiway conditions and remotely reporting a status of the runway or taxiway, the apparatus comprising:
- a drive unit operable to provide remote-controlled rolling movement of the apparatus along a surface of a runway or taxiway of the aerodrome;
- a detection unit comprising one or more sensors configured to detect one or more parameters of the surface;
- and
- a communications unit comprising a transceiver arranged to transfer data derived from the detection unit from the apparatus to a remote server,
- wherein the apparatus is arranged, in use, to move along the surface and transfer data representative of one or more parameters of the surface to a remote server or an on-board processor,
- wherein the one or more parameters comprise cracks in the surface surrounding the apparatus, and the detection unit further comprises a camera operable to scan the surface for the cracks.
A system for monitoring and maintaining runway and taxiway conditions, comprising:
- an apparatus comprising:
- a drive unit operable to provide remote-controlled rolling movement of the apparatus along a surface of a runway or taxiway of the aerodrome;
- a detection unit comprising one or more sensors configured to detect one or more parameters of the surface;
- and
- a communications unit comprising a transceiver, and
- a remote server configured to transfer data to and from the communications unit of the apparatus, via a wired or wireless connection,
- wherein the communications unit is arranged transfer data derived from the detection unit from the apparatus to a remote server, and wherein the apparatus is configured to move along the surface and transfer data representative of one or more parameters of the surface to a remote server,
- wherein the one or more parameters comprise cracks in the surface surrounding the apparatus, and the detection unit further comprises a camera operable to scan the surface for the cracks.
A method of monitoring aerodrome runway and taxiway conditions comprising the steps of:
- deploying an apparatus to a runway or taxiway, the apparatus comprising:
- a drive unit operable to provide remote-controlled rolling movement of the apparatus along a surface of a runway or taxiway of the aerodrome;
- a detection unit comprising one or more sensors configured to detect one or more parameters of the surface;
- and
- a communications unit comprising a transceiver arranged to transfer data derived from the detection unit from the apparatus to a remote server, wherein
- the apparatus is arranged, in use, to move along the surface and transfer data representative of one or more parameters of the surface to a remote server,
- wherein the one or more parameters comprise cracks in the surface surrounding the apparatus, and the detection unit further comprises a camera operable to scan the surface for the cracks;
- collecting runway condition data through the detection unit of the apparatus;
- comparing data relating to a location of the surface derived from the detection unit with historical data relating to the location of the surface;
- and
- determining if a fault has developed on the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.