Delta approved to use drones for aircraft inspections

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has accepted Delta’s application to use camera-equipped, small drones for visual inspections of its aircraft. Earlier this year, Delta TechOps received approval and has been gradually integrating drone inspections into its maintenance processes. Initially, these conditional visual inspections will be conducted following lightning strike events, and their use has been added to Delta’s aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) for its entire mainline fleet.

Delta is the first U.S. commercial airline to receive FAA Certificate Management Office approval for drone-based maintenance inspections.

The small, unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) are semi-autonomous drones that navigate around the aircraft, capturing images without requiring manual control. Trained TechOps technicians and inspectors then evaluate the images to assess airworthiness before returning the aircraft to service, similar to traditional inspection methods.

While Delta TechOps has always prioritised safety in aircraft inspections, the introduction of drone technology eliminates the risks associated with technicians working at heights. In addition to reducing the potential for injury, the technology enables technicians and inspectors to evaluate aircraft conditions up to 82% faster.

The implementation of drone inspections will help return aircraft to service more quickly, reducing delays and cancellations for Delta customers.