Aircraft maintenance robot

An aircraft maintenance robot for maintaining aircraft surfaces, comprising:

• a processing means for generating control signals;
• a maintenance tool comprising an array of nozzles operable to spray substances and a video inspection apparatus operable to perform video inspections of aircraft surfaces, said nozzles and video inspection apparatus are responsive to said control signals;
• a wrist connected to said maintenance tool allowing pivotal movement of said tool and responsive to said control signals;
• a plurality of arms coupled with one another and having a first and second free end with said first free end coupled to said wrist for positioning said wrist responsive to said control signals, said arms operable to fold for facilitating transportation of the robot;
• means for delivering the substances to said nozzles responsive to the control signals for spraying the substances on aircraft surfaces;
• means for transporting the robot;
• means for recovering a portion of the sprayed substances;
• means for reconditioning the recovered substances for reuse;
• wherein said video inspection apparatus is further operable to record the spraying of the substances on aircraft surfaces;
• means for sensing weather and adjusting the control signals to account for changing conditions;
• means for producing power needed to operate the robot;
• means for accepting weather information from a ground facility;
• wherein said plurality of arms is further operable to position said video inspection apparatus responsive to the control signals so that aircraft surfaces are video inspected;
• and
• wherein the control signals generated by said processing means controls spraying substances on and inspecting aircraft surfaces without substantial intervention of a human operator.

A method for deicing an aircraft's surfaces with an aircraft maintenance robot, the method comprising the steps of:

• entering into a controller an aircraft's physical dimensions and location;
• generating control signals with the controller corresponding to and representing the aircraft's physical dimensions and location;
• positioning nozzles in a manner responsive to the control signals corresponding to and representing the aircraft's physical dimensions and location so that the nozzles may deliver deicing fluid to the aircraft's surfaces;
• delivering the deicing fluid to the aircraft's surfaces with the nozzles;
• and
• performing said generating, positioning, and delivering steps without substantial intervention of a human operator.

A method for deicing an aircraft having a plurality of surfaces, comprising the steps of:

• locating the aircraft in a deicing area;
• generating control signals with a controller corresponding to the aircraft's physical dimensions and location in the deicing area;
• positioning nozzles responsive to the control signals corresponding to and representing the aircraft's physical dimensions and location so that the nozzles may deliver deicing fluid to the aircraft;s surfaces;
• heating the deicing fluid;
• delivering the deicing fluid to the nozzles;
• spraying the aircraft's surfaces with the deicing fluid from the nozzles;
• recovering a portion of the deicing fluid after delivery to the aircraft's surfaces and reconditioning the recovered deicing fluid for reuse;
• documenting the deicing of the surfaces;
• and
• performing said generating, positioning, heating, delivering, spraying, recovering, and documenting steps without substantial intervention of a human operator.