Technology Title
Grey Gecko Real-Time Inspection Tool (GRIT)
Tech Focus Area
Enhanced Inspection
Abstract
Problem Statement: Hidden corrosion and structural flaws cost the DoD over $20B annually. Traditional inspection methods are labor-intensive, inconsistent, and often miss hidden defects under 20–25 mil coatings, resulting in an average repair cost of $12,000 and six days of lost mission availability per event. These risks are amplified by uncertain budgets, procurement delays, life-cycle extensions, parts shortages, and an escalating geopolitical deployment tempo that demands more sorties from aging fleets with fewer spares and tighter maintenance windows. In deployed or austere settings, these combined pressures threaten projection, readiness and aircrew safety across all services. Innovation
Solution: The Grey Gecko Real-Time Inspection Tool (GRIT) 125v2.5 is a rugged, handheld, battery-powered infrared imager that "sees through paint," detecting corrosion, cracks, voids, and moisture beneath coatings up to 25 mils thick without the need for chemicals, PPE, or external power. It delivers live, high-resolution images on a tablet and captures customer-dictated metadata (including time, location, tail number, and inspector ID) for instant report generation. A patented image-stitching algorithm expands inspection areas from ~1,200 mm² to 11,500 mm², dramatically increasing coverage. GRIT integrates directly with Aircraft Notebook, IADS/IETMS, and GCSS-Army for seamless condition-based maintenance (ANSI 4180 Compliant).
Benefits to the DoD: GRIT cuts corrosion-related downtime by ~25% and inspection labor by >50%, producing a 3–7-month ROI on fourth-generation aircraft. It is eye-safe, FCC-compliant, and eliminates toxic paint-removal processes. The U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center adopted GRIT for HC-144 wing-joint inspections, reducing a 30-hour job to six hours; an 80% labor savings and elimination of hex-chromium exposure. Navy Fleet Readiness Centers, Air Force AFWERX "Flightline of the Future," Army aviation (including a flawless MH-60M tail-rotor inspection with the 160th SOAR(A)), and Lockheed Martin (F-16, C-130, U-2) have all demonstrated GRIT's cross-service impact, extending airframe life and boosting readiness.
Innovation Challenges: Current limitations include reduced efficacy on radar-absorbent/Low Observable coatings (effective depth ~3 mils), lack of intrinsic safety for explosive atmospheres, and the requirement for a 500k-image dataset to train GRIT's next-generation machine-learning module for automated defect recognition. These are active R&D targets, with planned upgrades for enhanced AI detection, HERO certification, and GRIT as a payload for autonomous inspections.
Technical Maturity / Demonstration Results: GRIT is at TRL-9 with 32,000+ inspection hours across Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard fleets, and was down-selected by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences as one of the Top 3 Innovative Sustainment Technologies, reinforcing its cross-service value and transition readiness.
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