Foreign object detection for vehicle operation, production, and maintenance

1. A method performed by a computing system with respect to an aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving sensor data captured via a sensor subsystem that includes a sensor associated with a stowage compartment of the aircraft;

identifying, for the stowage compartment, a baseline condition in which foreign objects are absent from the stowage compartment responsive to a user input or a sensor input received via an interface of the aircraft;

detecting whether a foreign object is present within the stowage compartment based on the received sensor data for the stowage compartment and the baseline condition identified for the stowage compartment; and

outputting an indication of whether the foreign object is present within the stowage compartment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stowage compartment is a service personnel-designated stowage compartment; and

wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor, a weight sensor, or a pressure sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stowage compartment is a cargo hold; and

wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stowage compartment is one of a plurality of overhead bins; and

wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a trigger condition;

responsive to the trigger condition, conducting an audit of the stowage compartment for contents;

wherein outputting the indication whether the foreign object is present within the stowage compartment is responsive to the audit; and

wherein the indication identifies the stowage compartment among a plurality of stowage compartments of the aircraft.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the trigger condition is detected responsive to receiving another user input via a service personnel interface.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the trigger condition is detected responsive to another sensor input from another sensor located on-board the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said another sensor is a door sensor indicating an open or closed state of a door of the aircraft.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the indication whether the foreign object is present within the stowage compartment includes outputting a visual indication via a display device or an illumination unit integrated with the aircraft.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the display device or the illumination unit is one of a plurality of available output devices integrated with the aircraft; and

wherein the method further includes selecting the display device or the illumination unit from among the plurality of available output devices for the stowage compartment.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the indication whether the foreign object is present within the stowage compartment includes transmitting an electronic message identifying the stowage compartment to a target recipient address over a communications network; and

wherein the method further comprises, identifying the target recipient address from a database that associates the target recipient address with the stowage compartment.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the baseline condition for the stowage compartment includes baseline sensor data received via the sensor associated with the stowage compartment.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the baseline condition is identified responsive to the sensor input received via the interface of the aircraft from the sensor associated with the stowage compartment; and

wherein the sensor associated with the stowage compartment is integrated with the aircraft.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the baseline condition is identified responsive to the sensor input received via the interface of the aircraft from another sensor that is integrated with the aircraft.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the baseline condition is identified responsive to the user input received via the interface of the aircraft that includes a service interface integrated with the aircraft.

16. A method performed by a computing system with respect to an aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving sensor data captured via a sensor subsystem that includes a sensor associated with a stowage compartment of the aircraft, wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor;

identifying, for the stowage compartment, a baseline condition in which foreign objects are absent from the stowage compartment;

responsive to a change in lighting conditions within the stowage compartment detected via the optical sensor, conducting an audit of the stowage compartment;

detecting whether a foreign object is present within the stowage compartment based on the received sensor data for the stowage compartment and the baseline condition identified for the stowage compartment; and

responsive to the audit, outputting an indication of whether the foreign object is present within the stowage compartment.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the stowage compartment is a service personnel-designated stowage compartment or a passenger-designated stowage compartment.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the stowage compartment is a cargo hold.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the baseline condition is identified responsive to a user input or a sensor input received via an interface of the aircraft.

20. A computing system, comprising:

a logic subsystem;

a data storage subsystem having instructions stored thereon executable by the logic subsystem to:

receive sensor data captured via a sensor subsystem that includes a sensor associated with a stowage compartment of an aircraft;

identify, for the stowage compartment, a baseline condition in which foreign objects are absent from the stowage compartment responsive to a user input or a sensor input received via an interface of the aircraft;

detect whether a foreign object is present within the stowage compartment based on the received sensor data for the stowage compartment and the baseline condition identified for the stowage compartment; and

output an indication of whether the foreign object is present within the stowage compartment.