Wireless Rotor Data Acquisition System

Abstract

Flight test data acquisition systems have been widely deployed in helicopter certification programs for a few decades. A data acquisition system uses a series of strategically placed sensors to provide instantaneous status condition of the helicopter's components and structure. However, until recently, it has been difficult to collect flight test data from helicopter rotors in motion. Traditional rotor solutions have used slip rings to electrically connect fixed and rotating mechanical elements; but slip rings are inconvenient to use, prone to wear, and notoriously unreliable.