Test Scenario before an incoming storm
We have finished with the design of the changes to the system.
Our second field trial test at CRES was successful. It gave us a first definitive positive result demonstrating that our overall system is working. Congratulation to everyone in the team, and especially to IKH and LSBIC who have made the platform and vacuum based end-effector working in the sky.
Due to the fast increasing wind speed of un-cooperating weather, we only had very limited time in the morning, so we only had less than half an hour to test the shearography during which we recorded 3 video clips in a hurry. After post-processing of the recorded video clips, we were able to generate shearography fringe patterns. These fringe patterns, although poor in visibility, are a breakthrough for shearography to move from on the ground to in the sky. The next steps involve improving the fringe contrast and optimising the heating excitation etc.
An example of shearography fringe pattern obtained from the recorded lase speckle videos.