Drone-Based Vibration Monitoring and Assessment of Structures

Abstract

This paper presents a novel method of procuring and processing data for the assessment of civil structures via vibration monitoring. This includes the development of a custom sensor package designed to minimize the size/weight while being fully self-sufficient (i.e., not relying on external power). The developed package is delivered to the structure utilizing a customized Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), otherwise known as a drone. The sensor package features an electropermanent magnet for securing it to the civil structure while a second magnet is used to secure the package to the drone during flight. The novel B-Spline Impulse Response Function (BIRF) technique was utilized to extract the Dynamic Signature Response (DSR) from the data collected by the sensor package. Experimental results are presented to validate this method and show the feasibility of deploying the sensor package on structures and collecting data valuable for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) data processing. The advantages and limitations of the proposed techniques are discussed, and recommendations for further developments are made.