20CSP81

NAGARJUNA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

(An Autonomous College under VTU, Belagavi)

A Technical Seminar Synopsis on

“Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Classification Through Material Recognition
Using Deep Convolutional Neural Network With Focus on Metal”

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree in

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
IN

COMPUTER SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

Submitted by

Aditya kumar 1NC20CS004

Under the guidance of

Prof Raghavendra B
Associate professor
Dept. of CSE, NCET

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE & ENGNIEERING

NAGARJUNA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
(An Autonomous College under VTU, Accredited by NAAC with “A+” Grade)
Mudugurki (V), Venkatagirikote (P), Devanahalli (T), Bengaluru-562164.
 CHAPTER 1
ABSTRACT

Foreign Object Debris (FOD) presents a persistent threat to aircraft safety, with metal debris comprising a
significant portion of potential hazards. Despite existing FOD prevention measures, automatic detection systems
remain limited, relying heavily on human oversight prone to error. Recognizing the critical role of material
composition, particularly metal, this study focuses on developing a Deep Convolutional Neural Network
(DCNN) for accurate FOD material classification. We introduce a novel dataset comprising 2481 images
captured under diverse environmental conditions on operational airport runways. Leveraging this dataset, we
train and evaluate various DCNN models, identifying InceptionV3 as the top-performing architecture. Our
extensive testing reveals an 18% enhancement in metal recognition accuracy compared to other models, along
with an 11% improvement in overall classification accuracy across material classes. By prioritizing material
recognition over object detection, our approach addresses the variability in FOD characteristics, irrespective of
shape, size, or colour. This research contributes to advancing FOD detection technology, offering a reliable
solution to mitigate the risk of metal debris on airport surfaces. Implementation of our proposed DCNN
algorithm promises enhanced safety standards and operational efficiency in the aviation industry.
CHAPTER 2

AIM and OBJECTIVES

Aim:
The aim of this research is to develop a robust and accurate system for Foreign Object Debris (FOD)
classification through material recognition, leveraging deep learning techniques, with a primary focus on metal
debris detection.

Objectives:
1. To curate a comprehensive dataset comprising real FOD images found on operational runways, ensuring
diverse representation of FOD items and environmental conditions.
2. To investigate and select appropriate deep learning architectures pre-trained on ImageNet for material
recognition, including Alex Net, ResNet50, ResNet101, and InceptionV3.
3. To optimize selected deep learning models on the curated FOD dataset, fine-tuning parameters and conducting
training to achieve high accuracy in material classification, particularly for metal, concrete, and plastic debris.
4. To evaluate the performance of the optimized models through extensive testing, measuring recognition
accuracy for each material category and comparing results against existing benchmarks.
5. To identify the most effective deep learning architecture for FOD classification, based on recognition
accuracy, computational efficiency, and suitability for real-time deployment on operational runways.
6. To assess the robustness and generalization of the developed system by exploring dataset extension with
images captured from various runways and evaluating the impact on classification performance.
7. To explore potential enhancements and extensions to the developed system, including the combination of
datasets, utilization of alternative deep learning architectures (e.g., Mobile Net, Xception), and investigation of
cost-effective solutions for real-world deployment.
8. To provide recommendations for future research directions and practical applications based on the findings
and insights gained from the study.
CHAPTER 3
INTRODUCTION

Foreign Object Debris (FOD) poses a significant risk to aviation safety, encompassing any unintended object
found near aircraft, particularly on runways and taxiways. Despite preventive measures such as visual
inspections and manual debris collection, the reliance on human oversight introduces inherent limitations,
including the potential for error and high operational costs. Automatic FOD detection systems offer a promising
solution, yet their deployment remains limited, primarily due to the necessity for human verification, which is
both resource-intensive and susceptible to inaccuracies. In response to these challenges, this paper explores the
application of computer vision techniques, specifically focusing on material recognition, as a means to enhance
FOD detection and classification. Material recognition offers a more robust approach compared to traditional
object recognition methods, as FOD items exhibit diverse shapes, sizes, and colours. Leveraging advancements
in deep learning, particularly Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs), holds potential for improving
the accuracy and efficiency of FOD classification systems. This study addresses the shortcomings of existing
approaches by proposing a robust feature-based methodology for classifying FOD material categories with high
accuracy. A novel dataset of real FOD items, captured in various lighting and environmental conditions on
operational runways, is introduced to facilitate model training and evaluation. Through comprehensive
experimentation and theoretical analysis, the efficacy of the proposed approach is demonstrated, surpassing the
performance of current state-of-the-art algorithms in FOD classification. overall, this research contributes to
advancing FOD detection technology, offering a reliable and cost-effective solution to mitigate the risks
associated with FOD incidents in aviation environments.
CHAPTER 4

BACKGROUND / PREVIOUS WORK

Previous research in the field of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) detection has primarily focused on addressing
the challenges associated with the unavailability of efficient and cost-effective solutions. While traditional
methods, such as FOD walks and manual observation, involving human verification, have been integral to FOD
prevention routines, there is a growing recognition of the need for automated FOD detection systems. These
systems, capable of continuous monitoring on runways and aircraft movement areas, have garnered attention
for their potential to supplement airport staff efforts and enhance FOD detection efficiency. Optical camera
systems have emerged as a promising technology for automatic FOD detection, offering a cost-effective
alternative to more expensive radar-based solutions. Leveraging image processing and computer vision
techniques, particularly neural networks and Artificial Intelligence (AI), holds promise for real-time FOD
detection. While object detection using deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) has been explored, it
faces limitations in efficiently handling the vast variations in FOD types encountered on runways. Consequently,
there is a shift towards utilizing material recognition for FOD classification, with the understanding that the
most harmful FOD items, such as metal debris, warrant specialized attention. However, existing approaches
have been hindered by the lack of suitable datasets tailored for FOD detection tasks, highlighting the need for
further research and development in this area.
CHAPTER 5
ANALYSIS

Foreign Object Debris (FOD) poses significant safety risks in aviation, with metal debris being particularly
hazardous due to its potential to damage aircraft engines and other critical components. Addressing this
challenge requires robust classification techniques capable of accurately identifying metal FOD items in real-
time. One promising approach is leveraging deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for material
recognition.
Deep CNNs excel at learning hierarchical features from image data, making them well-suited for tasks like FOD
classification. By training on diverse datasets containing images of different FOD types, including various
metals, CNNs can learn to distinguish metal debris from other materials with high accuracy.
The key advantage of using CNNs for material recognition in FOD classification is their ability to automatically
extract relevant features from input images, such as texture, shape, and surface characteristics, without the need
for manual feature engineering. This enables the model to adapt to the inherent variability in FOD appearance,
including different lighting conditions and viewing angles.
However, challenges remain in optimizing CNN architectures and training procedures to achieve optimal
performance in metal FOD classification. Fine-tuning pre-trained models on FOD-specific datasets and
incorporating data augmentation techniques can help improve model generalization and robustness.
Furthermore, the availability of large-scale, annotated datasets specifically tailored for FOD detection and
classification, especially focusing on metal debris, is crucial for advancing research in this area. Collaborative
efforts between academia, industry, and aviation authorities are needed to collect and curate such datasets to
facilitate the development and evaluation of CNN-based FOD detection systems.
In conclusion, leveraging deep CNNs for metal FOD classification shows great promise in enhancing aviation
safety by enabling automated, real-time detection of potentially dangerous debris on runways and aircraft
movement areas. Continued research and collaboration are essential to further refine and deploy these
technologies effectively.
CHAPTER 6
CONCLUSION

This research underscores the effectiveness of employing material recognition for Foreign Object Debris (FOD)
classification, achieving high recognition accuracy across multiple architectures when pre-trained on ImageNet
and utilizing a real FOD dataset with authentic runway backgrounds. By curating a novel dataset comprising
nearly 2500 images of actual FOD encountered on operational runways, this study provides a robust foundation
for training and evaluating FOD classification models.

Through extensive experimentation with popular deep learning architectures, including Alex Net, ResNet50,
ResNet101, and InceptionV3, it was demonstrated that all models surpassed 80% accuracy, outperforming
previous benchmarks for metal recognition. Particularly noteworthy was the superior performance of
InceptionV3, achieving 93% accuracy in metal recognition and an average recognition rate of 92% across all
material classes. ResNet50 also exhibited commendable performance, with 81% accuracy in metal recognition
and 87% average recognition.

The inclusion of real FOD items and authentic runway backgrounds in the dataset enhances the reliability and
applicability of the developed algorithm for real-time deployment on operational runways. While this study
focused on a select set of models due to availability and anticipated performance, the comparable accuracies
demonstrated across architectures suggest promising avenues for future research.

To further advance the field of FOD classification, several recommendations are proposed for future
investigations. These include expanding the dataset with images captured from diverse runways to improve
robustness and generalization, exploring combinations of existing and new datasets for enhanced performance
and broader applicability, and considering the utilization of cost-effective models such as Mobile Net while also
exploring the potential of alternative architectures like Exception, InceptionV4, and Squeeze Net for even more
refined results.

In conclusion, this research contributes valuable insights and methodologies to the ongoing efforts in FOD
detection and prevention, offering a pathway towards more accurate, reliable, and cost-effective solutions for
safeguarding aircraft and personnel from the hazards posed by Foreign Object Debris.
CHAPTER 7
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