Wireless Sensor Systems for On-Board Aircraft Health Monitoring

"Aircraft diagnostic and prognostic systems can enhance aircraftsafety, reduce total costs of ownership, and increase assetavailability. However, they require a great deal of integrationwith the platform. Wireless transducers have enormous potentialto simplify new and retrofitted diagnostic/prognostic systems byeliminating currently required cabling and interconnects,enhancing robustness via redundancy, easing sensor placement, andreducing system weights. A wireless sensor also allows forflexibility in sensor placement to meet changing system needs andto aid in identifying, troubleshooting, and monitoring emergingfleet problems.Luna Innovations and its research partners will develop a suiteof stand-alone wireless sensors and a master control unit for on-board, real-time aircraft health monitoring. The developmentteam will survey the aircraft application requirements anddevelop a rugged sensor design. The system will work underconstraints such as long operational lifetime, low power, non-line-of-sight, high bandwidth and ease of integration. Thedeveloped system will consider flight qualification, sensor size,and will offer performance comparable to existing systems. Lunawill leverage previous wireless sensor development efforts andcommercial production capabilities to satisfy the immediate Navyrequirements and bring the developed technology to near-termmarket.BENEFITS: Luna Innovations anticipates large related markets in preventi