AkzoNobel Highlights New Drone-Based Inspection Tool for Aircraft Paint Maintenance
AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings has debuted a new inspection tool that uses drone technology to optimize the process of aircraft paint maintenance.
While AkzoNobel has been using data-informed insights to help with predictive paint maintenance through its Aerofleet Coatings Management service since 2023, a new digital system is now available to make the process simpler.
The Iris CMX drone uses a three-in-one contact-based sensor to measure coating performance directly, collecting data like:
- Dry film thickness
- Color data
- Gloss measurements
By adding Iris CMX to the Aerofleet system, AkzoNobel synthesizes flight and environmental data, such as:
- Route profiles
- Humidity
- UV exposure
The Iris CMX drone also takes targeted, high-precision measurements and considers full-surface visual analysis from the existing Iris GVI drone in the Aerofleet system.
The Iris GVI drone takes its visual analysis by capturing high-definition photographs—up to 600 at a time—while flying in a calibrated grid that’s been set over the plane’s surface. Then, software flags any visible wear or issue with the coatings.
Using both of these drones together helps technicians decide exactly when an aircraft needs repainting, instead of having to manually calculate an estimation based on flight hours.
By operating the Iris GVI and the Iris CMX drones at the same time—one on either side of the aircraft—a team could need only 30 minutes to complete a full-body inspection for a narrowbody aircraft.
Other key benefits of the Aerofleet Coatings Management service include:
- Less unnecessary repainting
- Lower maintenance costs
- Heightened aircraft availability
- Improved operational efficiency
- Reduced environmental impact
Director of AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business Patrick Bourguignon says, “Aerofleet Coatings Management has always been about giving airlines greater confidence in when and why they maintain or repaint their aircraft.”
Bourguignon continues, “The addition of the Iris CMX brings precise, consistent measurement into the process to strengthen the data that underpins our predictive models.”
“It also allows us to support expert assessment with more objective, consistent and repeatable inspections, while improving the speed and efficiency of the inspection process,” adds Bourguignon.
The Iris CMX drone was developed in partnership with Donecle.