Air Force taps Asylon’s drone dogs to speed up aircraft inspections

To address chronic delays in aircraft upkeep, the Air Force has signed a Phase-Three contract with Asylon to deploy its Guardian drone and DroneDog unmanned ground vehicle at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex in Georgia. The two robots will work together, with the drone covering the top of the airframe and the ground unit inspecting the underside, feeding combined visual data to maintenance crews. This automation aims to replace time-consuming scaffolding and manual checks, potentially reducing a full-aircraft inspection from days to a matter of hours.

The initiative responds to a GAO report showing maintenance delays rising from 31% in fiscal 2019 to 73% in fiscal 2024, driven by workforce shortages and high demand. Leaders such as former Pentagon official Joe Costa and GAO’s Diana Maurer view the technology as a promising tool, while Asylon’s CEO Damon Henry emphasizes its scalability to other branches and civilian platforms. The effort comes as the Air Force anticipates additional strain from aircraft damaged in the ongoing Iran conflict.