Page 34 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 Online Magazine

INTERVIEW: DONECLE
From the start, we set out to make a
product that was simple to use and
consistent with airlines’ operational
constraints. Our system is designed
to require minimal training and pro-
vide inspectors the ability to acquire
and analyze the health of their aircraft
as quickly as possible to get it back
in the air.

What are the advantages of
using the drone? How much
of time and money does it
save?
Q&A The main advantages of a drone

inspection solution are threefold:
decreasing the amount of resources
(both personnel and equipment) to
access upper surfaces of an air-
craft), drastically improving inspection
speeds and increasing overall trace-
ability of inspection processes by
consistently acquiring, storing and
MAGIC IN THE AIR analyzing inspection data and images.
Our inspection system inspects an
aircraft in under an hour representing
Josselin Bequet, Donecle CEO and Co-Founder an average tenfold gain compared to
the time required with current inspec-
tion methods. Monetary savings vary
n aircraft-inspection drone inside maintenance hangars during across operators, depending on the
system that inspects aircraft routine maintenance checks – cur- aircraft they operate, how they con-
at least ten times faster rent operators use them mostly for duct their maintenance (internally or
Athan current inspection C-checks or overnight inspections. outsourced), their business model
methods has caught the attention (legacy or LCC), etc.
of airlines and MROs around the What are some of the unique
world. Donecle’s fully automated air- features of the drone? What Can the drone be used to
craft-inspection drone system, which is the technology at use inspect both commercial
has been developed in partnership here? and military aircraft? Does
with Air France Industries–KLM it work equally well on both
Engineering & Maintenance, detects Donecle’s drone is fully automated narrowbody and wide body
defects on the aircraft skin in real and can navigate around an aircraft aircraft?
time. “Our current product offering without input from a human pilot. We
is focused on Airbus/Boeing nar- have developed a laser positioning The underlying technology enables
rowbodies but we are progressively technology which enables our UAV inspections of a wide variety of air-
adding capability for new aircraft to automate its flight and accurately craft, although the majority of our
types,” Josselin Bequet, Donecle reposition on the aircraft all the data current clients are commercial oper-
CEO and Co-Founder, tells Arun (images) it acquires. ators.
Sivasankaran in an interview.
The majority of the system’s appeal We have several ongoing military proj-
What is the primary use of lies in the accompanying image ects working on a variety of aircraft
Donecle’s drone? Where analysis software which enables types. Basic inspection needs are the
are the inspections done? inspectors to rapidly produce damage same, but operational constraints are
reports. We have developed multiple very different from commercial opera-
The current system is primarily des- computer vision tools and algorithms tors and our work with the military is
tined for general visual inspections that analyze all the images acquired driving technical developments that
of aircraft external surfaces. These by the UAV to look for defects, mark- will in return be applicable to com-
inspections are typically conducted ings, assess paint quality, etc. mercial aircraft.

34 | September/October 2018 www.GBP.com.sg/AAA