AeRove

Inspection of pipelines for residual damage, gas leaks, and corrosion remains challenging due to confined geometries and the need to minimize human exposure to hazardous environments. Current inspection methods are outdated, costly, and often unreliable. My research focuses on the development of a lightweight hybrid robotic system, AeRove, to address these limitations through multi-modal mobility and sensing integration. AeRove combines aerial and terrestrial locomotion within a single compact system by converting its propeller guards into wheels, enabling a transition between flight and ground traversal in 200 milliseconds. Weighing less than 150g, AeRove is small enough to traverse pipelines of varying diameters while still maintaining a high level of robustness. The system's modular architecture allows adaptation to many applications through simple mechanical interchangeability. Low-level control and sensing are onboard, while the higher-level autonomy and data processing are executed via a Wi-Fi-connected base station. This work aims to establish a precise, adaptable, and scalable method for pipeline inspection.