Wireless Airborne Instrumentation System

During flight testing, an aircraft's performance is evaluated using data obtained from sensors placed throughout the airframe. The data is transmitted to a central data acquisition center via hardwire connections. This hardwire system has been found to be unsatisfactory due to high costs incurred from installation and removal. The ideal solution to reducing costs would be a data collection system that could be easily installed and removed. Invocon has developed a system which satisfies the above criteria. Consisting of both hardware and software, the system is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) data communications network that incorporates remote sensor units which can be easily installed without wiring. They can also be powered for extended periods of time with internal batteries or can connect to the aircraft bus power. Utilizing data gathering units that communicate via radio, the network implements both narrow and wide band communications to obtain the efficiency of a high speed system with very low power consumption. At the data analysis center, an operator can program the data gathering units to respond to specific instructions. We propose to demonstrate the capabilities of this AI data communications network in a non-flying airframe test. At the conclusion of Phase I, the viability of a wireless airborne instrumentation system will be proven.