AETOS

Inspiration

Aircraft inspections are critical for safety, but they can be slow, repetitive, and difficult to document consistently. We created AETOS to give maintenance teams “eagle eyes” that help identify exterior damage faster.

What it does

AETOS uses AI image analysis to scan an aircraft’s exterior, highlight possible defects, and generate a digital inspection report. It can also store findings so damage can be tracked across future inspections.

How we built it

We built a prototype that allows users to upload or capture aircraft images and analyzes them for visible damage. We connected the detection system to a simple interface that displays flagged areas and inspection information.

Challenges we ran into

One major challenge was creating a realistic aircraft inspection system with limited time, equipment, and training data. We also had to ensure that AETOS supported inspectors rather than falsely claiming to replace certified maintenance professionals.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We developed a working prototype that demonstrates the full process from scanning an aircraft to documenting a possible defect. We are especially proud that we transformed a broad aviation idea into a focused and practical inspection tool.

What we learned

We learned that aircraft maintenance requires accuracy, traceability, and human verification. We also learned how AI can improve inspections when it is designed as a decision-support tool rather than an automatic safety authority.

What's next for AETOS

Our next step is to train AETOS using more aircraft damage images and improve its ability to classify defects by type and severity. Eventually, we hope to integrate maintenance records, inspection schedules, and aircraft-specific digital histories.