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22 September 2026 by HIVE
On September 22, 2026, NLR and the Innovation Team of the Air Support Command demonstrated the latest functionality of the Autonomous Robot for Blade Inspections (ARBI). The demonstration took place at the HIVE Living Lab ‘The Hangar of the Future’. Among those attending were representatives of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, Fokker Services Group, ACRATS and SPECTO. Developed by NLR and the Royal Netherlands Air Force, the robot is designed to automate the inspection of helicopter rotor blades.
The most significant new feature is a projection and annotation system. Using thermography and shearography, ARBI can quickly and contactlessly detect defects in composite materials, both at the surface and deeper within the material. The new system links inspection data to the exact location of damage on the rotor blade by making the data visible as a projected layer. This helps technicians and NDT personnel assess the indications.
Because ARBI collects inspection data, it can eventually be used to monitor the condition of rotor blades from the moment they are delivered through the end of their service life. The aim is to eventually record not only damage, but also repairs carried out on the blades, and to visualize this information through projection.
Maintenance technicians currently still locate defects by tapping the blade and listening for changes in sound. A complete inspection can take about a day using this method. With ARBI, the same rotor blade can be scanned within an hour. Innovation can therefore help make inspections more efficient and make better use of available capacity, at a time when skilled technical personnel are increasingly difficult to find.
ARBI is currently configured to inspect Chinook rotor blades. The setup can later be adapted for other types of military helicopters. The technology also offers opportunities for broader applications, including within the civil MRO market.
This project closely aligns with the innovation strategies of the Dutch Ministry of Defense, NLR and HIVE Aerospace Collective in Woensdrecht. At ‘The Hangar of the Future’, civil and military partners work together to develop, test and validate innovative high-tech applications for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), and prepare them for practical use. The detection of delamination in Chinook rotor blades by the ARBI has now been officially qualified.
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