Patent attributes
A aerial drone deployed NDE scanner test unit (12) has a yoke to which four sets of offset pins (294, 354) pivotally secure a sensor probe (232) in a configuration for rotating about the X-axis and the Y-axis with constrained rotation. Each set of the offset pins (294, 354) are spaced apart, with the ends closest to the terminal ends of the sensor probe (232) and an EUT (26) being more closely spaced than opposite ends of the offset pins (294, 354). The NDE scanner (16) is deployed from an aerial drone (14) with a cable (18) and an umbilical (20) connecting there-between. The cable (18) selectively secures the NDE scanner (16) to the aerial drone (14) and the umbilical (20) provides data and fluid connections. The NDE scanner (16) has a stand-off mechanism (118) which is selectively operated to engage and disengage the magnetic wheels (94) of the NDE scanner (16) from a metal surface of the EUT (26).
