In recent years, considerable effort has been expanded in both meeting "attainable" flaw detection requirements and in improving NDI procedures capabilities to detect smaller flaws. Concurrently, considerable work has been directed toward methods of NDE capabilities demonstration and analysis to integrate the "probability of detection" (POD) of a given flaw size as a general engineering analysis parameter.

This paper provides an overview of the history and use of the probability of detection (POD) in general engineering and in NDE engineering, current work in this special technology; and some predicted directions for technology development and application.