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    Home > Chemicals Industry > Chemical Technology > Fiber optics are used in sensing drone health monitoring systems

    Fiber optics are used in sensing drone health monitoring systems

    • Last Update: 2022-11-18
    • Source: Internet
    • Author: User
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    On April 7, 2015, Moses Medina, Executive Vice President and General Manager of IAI's Engineering and Development Group, unveiled details of IAI's new fiber optic strain-sensing drone health monitoring system, based on Rayleigh's backscattered distributed strain sensing technology
    .

    "The new system is based on embedded optical fibers to measure strain distribution
    under external loads on the wing.
    " Medina explained
    .
    "Their small diameter means that optical fibers can be easily embedded into large composite structural components, and they are flexible, passive, insensitive to environmental factors and immune to electromagnetic interference
    .
    "

    One of the methods Medina says is based on fiber Rayleigh backscatter measurements, an effect that is due to random fluctuations in the refractive index of the fiber along the fiber as a function of
    position.

    The amplitude of backscattered light as a function of distance is random, but for any given fiber, the value is fixed for a given fiber layout
    .
    External stimuli such as mechanical strain or changes in temperature can lead to changes
    in the local reflectance spectrum.
    With a centimeter spatial resolution, standard single-mode fibers with pressures exceeding tens of thousands of meters can be monitored without any preparation
    .
    Structural health monitoring of wings is a measurement
    of strain characteristics performed by comparing the strain characteristics performed by optical fibers when drones are used under the same loading conditions and at different times.

    When different drone parts are machined out in IAI's composites division, fiber optics are embedded into the spars and other fuselage sections to detect strain damage
    .
    The system is embedded in all of the company's Heron TP drones – the largest model the company produces, and all of the drone's front spars are monitored
    for health.

    At the end of each flight, or series of flights, the fiber is connected to a device equipped with a special algorithm that converts the input of an embedded system into data, which can point out areas
    of concern.
    The new fiber-based health monitoring system is unaffected by light to ensure accurate readings, even in bad weather
    .

    The new system has been installed on the Heron TP of the Israeli Air Force, accumulating about 2,000 flight hours
    so far.
    According to the development team, in a sequence of 1000h, there are no signs of
    falsehood.
    The system is being installed on the company's drone, but other uses have been evaluated, such as using it to monitor the composite fuselage section of a helicopter to find and lock cracks
    .
    The company also used it to test its Gulfstream G280 business jet
    .

    Successful results have encouraged the company to adopt the system in other activities, such as converting passenger aircraft into tankers, transport aircraft or special aircraft
    .
    Medina and his team say fiber-based health monitoring systems are a "revolution" that will be used
    in many aviation projects in the future.

    On April 7, 2015, Moses Medina, Executive Vice President and General Manager of IAI's Engineering and Development Group, unveiled details of IAI's new fiber optic strain-sensing drone health monitoring system, based on Rayleigh's backscattered distributed strain sensing technology
    .

    optical fiber

    "The new system is based on embedded optical fibers to measure strain distribution
    under external loads on the wing.
    " Medina explained
    .
    "Their small diameter means that optical fibers can be easily embedded into large composite structural components, and they are flexible, passive, insensitive to environmental factors and immune to electromagnetic interference
    .
    "

    One of the methods Medina says is based on fiber Rayleigh backscatter measurements, an effect that is due to random fluctuations in the refractive index of the fiber along the fiber as a function of
    position.

    The amplitude of backscattered light as a function of distance is random, but for any given fiber, the value is fixed for a given fiber layout
    .
    External stimuli such as mechanical strain or changes in temperature can lead to changes
    in the local reflectance spectrum.
    With a centimeter spatial resolution, standard single-mode fibers with pressures exceeding tens of thousands of meters can be monitored without any preparation
    .
    Structural health monitoring of wings is a measurement
    of strain characteristics performed by comparing the strain characteristics performed by optical fibers when drones are used under the same loading conditions and at different times.

    When different drone parts are machined out in IAI's composites division, fiber optics are embedded into the spars and other fuselage sections to detect strain damage
    .
    The system is embedded in all of the company's Heron TP drones – the largest model the company produces, and all of the drone's front spars are monitored
    for health.

    At the end of each flight, or series of flights, the fiber is connected to a device equipped with a special algorithm that converts the input of an embedded system into data, which can point out areas
    of concern.
    The new fiber-based health monitoring system is unaffected by light to ensure accurate readings, even in bad weather
    .

    The new system has been installed on the Heron TP of the Israeli Air Force, accumulating about 2,000 flight hours
    so far.
    According to the development team, in a sequence of 1000h, there are no signs of
    falsehood.
    The system is being installed on the company's drone, but other uses have been evaluated, such as using it to monitor the composite fuselage section of a helicopter to find and lock cracks
    .
    The company also used it to test its Gulfstream G280 business jet
    .

    Successful results have encouraged the company to adopt the system in other activities, such as converting passenger aircraft into tankers, transport aircraft or special aircraft
    .
    Medina and his team say fiber-based health monitoring systems are a "revolution" that will be used
    in many aviation projects in the future.

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