A system for automated inspection and repair of dielectric tops made of dielectric material covering fasteners in a wing surface of an aircraft, the system comprising: a self-propelled, steerable carriage capable of traversing the surface, the carriage having a camera positioned to view an object on the surface, and a sensor capable of detecting a crack in the surface; a computer controller connected to receive image data from the camera, communicate with and selectively actuate the sensor capable of detecting a crack in the surface and control the carriage to move on the surface along one or more of a pre-set path and a path to one or more pre-set locations; wherein the sensor capable of detecting a crack in the wing surface is a crack detection sensor; the self-propelled, steerable carriage further comprises a crack depth measurement sensor and a tool for treating a crack including a dielectric top repair device; the computer controller is configured to: - actuate, after visual inspection of the dielectric top of the wing surface of the aircraft with the camera, the crack detection sensor to determine whether a crack exists in the dielectric top, and if a crack is detected and exceeds a predetermined minimal length, actuate the crack depth measurement sensor; - repair the crack by actuating the dielectric top repair device if the depth of the crack determined by the crack depth measurement sensor exceeds a predetermined depth; and - actuate a sensor for inspecting the repair of the crack. a self-propelled, steerable carriage capable of traversing the surface, the carriage having a camera positioned to view an object on the surface, and a sensor capable of detecting a crack in the surface; a computer controller connected to receive image data from the camera, communicate with and selectively actuate the sensor capable of detecting a crack in the surface and control the carriage to move on the surface along one or more of a pre-set path and a path to one or more pre-set locations; wherein the sensor capable of detecting a crack in the wing surface is a crack detection sensor; the self-propelled, steerable carriage further comprises a crack depth measurement sensor and a tool for treating a crack including a dielectric top repair device; the computer controller is configured to: - actuate, after visual inspection of the dielectric top of the wing surface of the aircraft with the camera, the crack detection sensor to determine whether a crack exists in the dielectric top, and if a crack is detected and exceeds a predetermined minimal length, actuate the crack depth measurement sensor; - repair the crack by actuating the dielectric top repair device if the depth of the crack determined by the crack depth measurement sensor exceeds a predetermined depth; and - actuate a sensor for inspecting the repair of the crack. - actuate, after visual inspection of the dielectric top of the wing surface of the aircraft with the camera, the crack detection sensor to determine whether a crack exists in the dielectric top, and if a crack is detected and exceeds a predetermined minimal length, actuate the crack depth measurement sensor; - repair the crack by actuating the dielectric top repair device if the depth of the crack determined by the crack depth measurement sensor exceeds a predetermined depth; and - actuate a sensor for inspecting the repair of the crack.