Autonomous Structural Inspection with an Octocopter UAV: Integration of 3D LiDAR and Gimbal-Mounted Camera

This paper presents an autonomous inspection system that utilizes an octocopter UAV to enhance the structural safety assessments of challenging environments such as bridges, high-rise buildings, and dams. The system features an octocopter equipped with a rotating 3D LiDAR for comprehensive environmental data collection, a three-axis gimbal-mounted camera for high-resolution imaging, and an onboard computer for data processing and control. Our algorithms are designed to recognize environmental structures, identify planar surfaces, and calculate optimal gimbal poses for detailed inspections. The UAV autonomously navigates and performs these tasks, ensuring precise structural assessments. We validate the effectiveness of this system through experiments with the octocopter UAV.