Abstract: A method for detecting aircraft surface portion characteristics including applying a marking sticker with grid markings adjacent to the aircraft surface portion, simultaneously optically detecting one region of the marking sticker and one region of the surface portion via an optical detection device, removing the optical detection device, hand guiding a sensing device to a predetermined position relative to the marking sticker within the surface portion and detecting a material characteristic there, correlating the detected material characteristic with the respective position in a data set, and generating and storing a damage map in which an optically detected structure of the surface portion is combined with the additional material characteristic at the one position, wherein guiding the sensing device includes projecting a laser line outwardly from the sensing device and moving the sensing device to align the laser line with at the grid marking.

Abstract: A system for navigating an aircraft in a hangar, having at least one optical sensor firmly connected to the aircraft. The sensor can be used to continuously capture surroundings contour data relative to the aircraft. A data processing apparatus, connected to the sensor, has a data memory storing reference data and can be used to determine an aircraft actual position by continuously matching captured surroundings contour data with the reference data and to identify a position deviation by comparing the determined actual position with a stored target position. Also, a method for navigating an aircraft in a hangar with such a system.

Abstract: A system for navigating an aircraft in a hangar, having at least one optical sensor firmly connected to the aircraft, wherein the sensor can be used to continuously capture surroundings contour data relative to the aircraft, and having a data processing apparatus, connected to the sensor, that has a data memory storing reference data, wherein the data processing apparatus can be used to detect an aircraft collision risk by continuously matching captured surroundings contour data with the reference data. Also, methods of navigating an aircraft in a hangar.