Technology Title
Grey Gecko Real-Time Inspection Tool for Rapid Corrosion and Defect Detection
Tech Focus Area
Enhanced Inspection
Abstract
Problem Statement: Hidden corrosion, cracks, damaged/missing fasteners, voids, and moisture intrusion result in >88% of all aircraft downtime, HAZMAT exposure, and missed readiness rates. Traditional inspections cannot see beneath coatings, and NDI techniques are localized, skill-intensive, and often called in after a suspect area is identified. The DoW needs a rapid first-look, early find option for hidden damage, reduce coating removal, optimize NDI resources and improve MDS mission availability.
Description of the Innovation Solution: GRIT 125v2.5 is a rugged, handheld, battery-powered infrared inspection system that provides live visual imaging through aircraft coatings without chemicals, external power, or surface preparation. GRIT provides maintainers and NDI teams with fast screening to identify suspect corrosion, cracks, voids, moisture, and QA concerns. It captures inspection imagery and metadata to support reporting, documentation, and decision makers. GRIT does not replace certified NDI methods; it identifies deeper inspection requirements.
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Benefits to the DoW: GRIT improves efficiency, safety, and readiness by reducing inspection time, limiting coating removal, reducing HAZMAT, and screening larger areas before invasive procedures. The USCG Aviation Logistics Center adopted GRIT for depot-level sustainment, including HC-144 wing-joint inspection work, reducing a 45-hour task to approximately one hour while avoiding exposure to hexavalent chromium. GRIT has demonstrated cross-service utility through Navy FRC-E/SE and Army aviation activities, USAF AFWERX Flightline of the Future win, Lockheed Martin sustainment support, and the 2025 Maintenance Innovation Challenge (MIC) win. GRIT is applicable across aircraft, maritime platforms, ground vehicles, and industrial infrastructure, where hidden corrosion and subsurface defects drive sustainment costs and impacts readiness.
Innovation Challenges: Service change friction and data-sharing policies slow adoption. CTMA support is applied towards future development, sensor integration, and DoW T&E. This award will validate performance across multiple mission areas and accelerate sustainment at field/depot-level operations. Future autonomous detection will require large USG-owned datasets and operational testing. Future GRIT Series 300 architecture incorporates upgraded sensor technology, improved lens geometry, true digital imaging, autofocus, and SWaP-C optimization.
Technical Maturity / Demonstration Results: The GRIT 125v2.5 is operationally mature, fielded, and supported by current activities, including the Office of the Secretary of War’s effort to independently evaluate GRIT units and the University of Dayton Research Institute’s effort to document GRIT efficacy at Robins Air Logistics Complex. GRIT is operationally mature and positioned to support CTMA’s ‘try-before-you-buy’ transition model by providing units with an immediately deployable and broader service-adoption pipeline.
