Wireless Networks: Implications for Aircraft Loads Monitoring

Abstract : A variety of new wireless technologies offer some advantages when used for direct strain monitoring of rotating components, particularly for rotary wing aircraft. This technical note investigates some of these technologies, including one developed in house by Air Vehicles Division. The use of wireless technology is advantageous as it avoids the use of slip rings and other current methods for monitoring strain where the component to be investigated rotates relative to the rest of the vehicle. Investigation of these same technologies for use when retrofitted to fixed wing aircraft or in non-rotating components is also presented. In this situation the advantage offered by these devices is the simplicity, convenience and speed with which they can be applied to usage and loads assessment. It is concluded that DSTO should adopt wireless sensors for an array of load monitoring uses and actively research in leading areas such as power harvesting.

[1]  D. L. Hall,et al.  A new approach to the challenge of machinery prognostics , 1995 .

[2]  Kristofer S. J. Pister,et al.  Micro-Electrostatic Vibration-to-Electricity Converters , 2002 .

[3]  Jugdutt Singh,et al.  Design and implementation of a highly efficient piezoelectric power harvesting and vibration damping system , 2006, SPIE Micro + Nano Materials, Devices, and Applications.

[4]  Derek C. Lang,et al.  The Negative Information Problem in Mechanical Diagnostics , 1997 .

[5]  Anantha Chandrakasan,et al.  Vibration-to-electric energy conversion , 1999, Proceedings. 1999 International Symposium on Low Power Electronics and Design (Cat. No.99TH8477).

[6]  James Llinas,et al.  Handbook of Multisensor Data Fusion , 2001 .

[7]  Leonidas J. Guibas,et al.  Wireless sensor networks - an information processing approach , 2004, The Morgan Kaufmann series in networking.