Helicopter external load data acquisition device, system and method thereof

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of aviation experiment data collection, and relates to a helicopter external load data collection device, system and method. The device comprises: a tension and compression force sensor installed at a sling, a hanging point and a connection position of the external load data collection barrel of the external load, used for measuring dynamic tension changes in hoisting operation and transmitting the changes to a multi-channel data collection machine case, feeding back actual force of the external load on the helicopter, providing a direct basis of mechanical state for evaluating flight safety threshold, preventing overload or structural failure; a motion sensor is a sensing unit, used for capturing three-dimensional motion state of the helicopter and the external load in real time and transmitting the state to the multi-channel data collection machine case; a flight parameter collector is used for providing GPS height, longitude, latitude and heading data and transmitting the data to the multi-channel data collection machine case; a collection and loading modularized board card is arranged in the multi-channel data collection machine case, supporting multi-channel signal synchronous collection and processing, and communicating with a measurement and control computer in the helicopter cabin through a data transmission module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aviation experimental data acquisition technology, and relates to a helicopter external load data acquisition device, system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Helicopter external load operations (such as hoisting, rescue, and transportation) place extremely high demands on flight safety and handling quality. However, existing technologies lack high-precision, multi-parameter synchronous acquisition systems for complex external load scenarios. Traditional data acquisition systems suffer from the following problems: 1) Dispersed sensors: Each sensor operates independently, resulting in poor data synchronization and difficulty in comprehensive analysis; 2) Insufficient environmental adaptability: Not optimized for the special needs of helicopters such as vibration, temperature changes, and waterproofing; 3) Limited scalability: Fixed hardware modules cannot flexibly adapt to different experimental requirements; 4) Low data processing efficiency: Lack of real-time analysis and heterogeneous data comparison functions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a helicopter external load data acquisition device, system and method, which is suitable for real-time monitoring and analysis of flight attitude, mechanical parameters and environmental parameters of helicopters during external load operations.

[0004] The technical solution of the present invention is

[0005] In a first aspect, a helicopter external load data acquisition device is provided, comprising: an external load data acquisition bucket installed on the edge of the external load, a multi-channel data acquisition chassis, a flight parameter acquisition device, a tension / compression sensor, a motion sensor, and a data transmission module;

[0006] The external payload data acquisition container houses a multi-channel data acquisition chassis, flight parameter acquisition unit, motion sensor, and data transmission module.

[0007] Tension and compression sensors are installed on the slings, hanging points, and connection points of the external load to the external load data acquisition bucket. They are used to measure the dynamic tension changes during the hoisting operation and transmit them to the multi-channel data acquisition cabinet. They provide feedback on the actual force exerted by the external load on the helicopter and provide direct evidence of the mechanical state for assessing flight safety thresholds and preventing overload or structural failure.

[0008] The motion sensor is a sensing unit used to capture the three-dimensional motion state of the helicopter and external load in real time and transmit it to the multi-channel data acquisition chassis.

[0009] The flight parameter acquisition unit provides GPS altitude, longitude, latitude, and heading data, and transmits them to the multi-channel data acquisition chassis to realize the dynamic spatiotemporal correlation between the flight trajectory and the payload.

[0010] The multi-channel data acquisition chassis contains modular acquisition and loading boards that support simultaneous acquisition and processing of multi-channel signals and communicate with the helicopter cabin control computer via a data transmission module.

[0011] Furthermore, the tension and compression sensors include tension sensors and strain sensors; the tension sensor is installed on the sling to monitor dynamic tension changes during hoisting operations; the strain sensor is attached to the external load hanging point and the connection point with the external load data acquisition bucket to capture stress and strain data in real time.

[0012] Furthermore, the motion sensors include a nine-axis gyroscope and a three-axis vibration accelerometer. The nine-axis gyroscope is used to measure pitch angle, roll angle, yaw angle and angular velocity, and the three-axis vibration accelerometer is used to monitor the X / Y / Z axial vibration characteristics.

[0013] Furthermore, the flight parameter acquisition system includes the Taurus flight controller and satellite compass.

[0014] Furthermore, the tension sensor and strain sensor are connected to the multi-channel data acquisition chassis via customized extended cables and inserted into corresponding boards to achieve efficient acquisition of multiple types of signals.

[0015] Furthermore, the external load is a bucket, which is suspended below the machine body by a hoisting method. The external load data acquisition bucket is installed on the edge of the upper bucket through an external load hanger. The external load data acquisition bucket adopts a 7075 aluminum alloy shell with an IP9 waterproof rating.

[0016] Secondly, a helicopter external load data acquisition system is provided, comprising:

[0017] Helicopter external load data acquisition device;

[0018] An aircraft data acquisition system fixed to the fuselage of a helicopter;

[0019] Helicopter cabin control computer;

[0020] The helicopter external load data acquisition device and the aircraft data acquisition instrument communicate with the helicopter cabin control computer. The helicopter cabin control computer has a built-in LabVIEW platform to control all sensors in the helicopter external load data acquisition device and the aircraft data acquisition instrument.

[0021] Thirdly, a method for acquiring external load data of a helicopter is provided, which is applied to an in-cabin monitoring and control computer of a helicopter. The method includes:

[0022] Sensor parameter configuration, sensor calibration and verification, data acquisition and processing, output and storage are performed using the LabVIEW platform.

[0023] Further parameter configuration: Set the sensor channel sampling rate and trigger conditions in LabVIEW;

[0024] Calibration and verification: Perform static and dynamic calibration on the sensor;

[0025] Data acquisition and processing: Real-time acquisition of multi-sensor data and marking with timestamps, filtering, temperature compensation, unit conversion, extraction of vibration characteristics and calculation of material mechanical properties;

[0026] Output and storage: Generates comprehensive reports including flight attitude, tension, strain, temperature, and vibration. Data is stored in TDMS format and supports subsequent playback and analysis.

[0027] Furthermore, multi-source data fusion technology is used in the data processing to align the attitude data, vibration spectrum and flight parameters of the nine-axis gyroscope in time and space, identify abnormal correlations and trigger threshold alarms.

[0028] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: This invention significantly improves the flight safety, handling quality assessment efficiency, and structural optimization accuracy of helicopter external load operations through high environmental adaptability, heterogeneous data verification, and dynamic threshold alarm. It is suitable for engineering verification and standard setting in complex scenarios such as hoisting, rescue, and transportation. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a hardware and software composition diagram of the data acquisition system of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the layout of the data acquisition system of the present invention on a helicopter;

[0031] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an external load data acquisition bucket installed on the edge of the bucket;

[0032] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an external load data acquisition bucket with an external load holder;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal composition of the external load data acquisition bucket of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the aircraft data acquisition instrument of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a diagram of the software system structure of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the implementation of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Taking the external load as an example, this invention provides a helicopter external load data acquisition system, such as... Figure 1-5 As shown, it includes the following modules:

[0038] 1. Helicopter External Load Data Acquisition Device

[0039] (1) Multi-channel data acquisition chassis 11

[0040] The multi-channel data acquisition chassis is the core hardware of the helicopter external payload data acquisition system. Through modular slot design, it integrates various sensor signals such as vibration, strain, and tension, realizing high-precision synchronous acquisition and real-time transmission of multi-source heterogeneous data. With the help of USB / Ethernet communication interface and TSN time-sensitive networking technology, it ensures data synchronization and system scalability in distributed scenarios, providing a reliable data foundation for flight attitude analysis, mechanical parameter monitoring, and environmental adaptability assessment.

[0041] (2) Tension and compression sensors (tension sensor 12, strain sensor 13)

[0042] The core function of the tension / compression sensor is to monitor the mechanical state of the slings, attachment points, and bucket connections in real time. By measuring the dynamic tension changes during lifting operations with high precision, the sensor can accurately reflect the actual force exerted by the load on the helicopter, providing direct evidence for assessing flight safety thresholds and preventing overload or structural failure. Simultaneously, by combining strain and vibration data, the dynamic characteristics of the bucket-fuselage coupling can be analyzed, optimizing the attachment design and ensuring the safety and operational stability of lifting, transportation, and rescue missions.

[0043] (3) Motion sensors (14-axis gyroscope, 15-axis vibration accelerometer)

[0044] Motion sensors are the sensing units of the gondola, and their core function is to capture the gondola's three-dimensional motion state in real time. A nine-axis gyroscope provides high-precision measurements of pitch, roll, yaw, and angular velocity, dynamically feeding back changes in the gondola's flight attitude. A three-axis vibration accelerometer accurately monitors vibration characteristics along the X, Y, and Z axes, identifying abnormal vibrations caused by aerodynamic loads or mechanical shocks. The collaborative work of these two sensors provides crucial data support for flight safety assessment, handling quality optimization, and dynamic coupling analysis of the gondola, effectively preventing attitude loss of control or structural fatigue risks, and ensuring flight stability and mission reliability in complex operational scenarios.

[0045] (4) Flight parameter acquisition unit (Taurus flight controller 16 and satellite compass 17)

[0046] The flight parameter acquisition unit is used to provide GPS altitude, longitude, latitude and heading data of the bucket and transmit them to the multi-channel data acquisition chassis to realize the spatiotemporal correlation between the flight trajectory of the bucket and the dynamics of the payload.

[0047] (5) External load data acquisition bucket 18

[0048] The data collection bucket, through its highly integrated design, combines the synchronous acquisition, sealed protection, and efficient transmission of multi-source sensor data such as attitude, vibration, and position. This provides a reliable data foundation for dynamic coupling analysis of the bucket and helicopter, structural strength verification, and flight safety assessment. At the same time, its modular architecture supports rapid adaptation to different experimental scenarios, significantly improving the adaptability and reliability of complex external load tasks.

[0049] (6) Data transmission module 19

[0050] The data transmission module 19 is used to realize data transmission between the acquisition device 1 and the helicopter cabin control computer 3.

[0051] The external load data acquisition tank of this invention adopts a 7075 aluminum alloy shell (IP9 waterproof rating) combined with a customized power supply to ensure stable operation of the equipment under extreme temperature changes (-40℃~85℃), high humidity and strong vibration environments (shock resistance 3000g); a built-in nine-axis gyroscope monitors the pitch angle, roll angle, heading angle and angular velocity of the external load in real time; a built-in multi-channel data acquisition chassis: equipped with NI-9230 (vibration acquisition) and built-in NI-9237 (strain acquisition) and other modular boards, supporting multi-channel signal synchronous acquisition and processing; a built-in Taurus flight controller and satellite compass provide GPS altitude, longitude, latitude and heading data to realize the spatiotemporal correlation between flight trajectory and load dynamics; a built-in three-axis vibration acceleration sensor measures X / Y / Z axial vibration and identifies abnormal vibrations caused by aerodynamic or mechanical impact; a tension sensor installed on the sling acquires the sling stress in real time; and a strain gauge attached to the hook connector acquires the strain of the hook connector in real time. The data transmission module and network cable interface are connected to the in-cabin monitoring and control computer via Ethernet or USB to achieve long-distance real-time data transmission and remote monitoring.

[0052] 2. Aircraft Data Acquisition System

[0053] (1) Second Taurus flight control and second satellite compass 21

[0054] The second Taurus flight controller has the same functions as the first Taurus flight controller, and the second satellite compass has the same functions as the first satellite compass. However, the second Taurus flight controller and the second satellite compass 21 are used to provide the helicopter's GPS altitude, longitude, latitude, and heading data.

[0055] (2) Environmental sensors (dynamic / static pressure sensors)

[0056] Environmental sensors can monitor flight environment parameters in real time and ensure system adaptability. Dynamic / static pressure sensors dynamically acquire data on barometric altitude, airspeed, and aerodynamic loads, providing crucial input for flight attitude correction and wind resistance strategy adjustments. The synergistic analysis of this environmental data with mechanical and kinematic parameters can optimize flight path planning, enhance the environmental adaptability of external load operations, and provide a scientific basis for flight safety warnings and system reliability assessments under extreme conditions.

[0057] (3) Acquisition device housing 22

[0058] At least an environmental sensor and a second Taurus flight controller are installed inside the housing 22 of the data acquisition instrument.

[0059] (4) Aircraft components 24

[0060] The data acquisition unit housing is mounted on the aircraft component via a connecting assembly.

[0061] (5) Pivot tube 23: Collects airspeed

[0062] (6) Connecting component 25

[0063] The acquisition device housing 22 is mounted on the aircraft frame 24.

[0064] 3. Helicopter cabin in-flight monitoring and control computer

[0065] The helicopter cabin's control computer has a built-in LabVIEW platform to control the helicopter's external payload data acquisition device and all sensors inside the aircraft's data acquisition instrument.

[0066] Specifically, the helicopter cabin's control computer 3 sends data acquisition signals to each sensor and receives signals from the multi-channel data acquisition chassis and the aircraft's data acquisition instrument.

[0067] II. Data collection methods as follows Figure 7 As shown

[0068] 1) System setup and hardware connection

[0069] Sensors are installed on external load points, slings, and key locations on the helicopter fuselage; custom-designed extended cables connect the sensors to a multi-channel data acquisition chassis, which is connected to the control computer via Ethernet / USB; the external load data acquisition container is connected to the aircraft data acquisition instrument (…). Figure 6 They are respectively fixed to the external load and the fuselage to ensure waterproofing and shock resistance.

[0070] 2) Parameter Configuration

[0071] In LabVIEW, set the sampling rate for each sensor channel (e.g., 12.8 KS / s for vibration signal, 400 S / s for temperature signal); configure trigger conditions (e.g., trigger alarm when tensile force exceeds threshold).

[0072] 3) Calibration and Verification

[0073] Static calibration of sensors (e.g., applying a known force to calibrate a tension sensor); dynamic calibration: verifying system consistency through comparison of heterogeneous data (e.g., attitude data from a nine-axis gyroscope and an aircraft data acquisition system).

[0074] 4) Data Acquisition and Processing

[0075] Real-time acquisition of multi-sensor data with timestamps; data filtering, temperature compensation, and unit conversion; extraction of vibration characteristics through spectrum analysis; and calculation of material mechanical properties through stress-strain curves.

[0076] 5) Output and Storage

[0077] Generate comprehensive reports including flight attitude, tension, strain, temperature, and vibration; data is stored in a standardized format (such as TDMS) to support subsequent playback and analysis.

[0078] To make the technical means, creative features, achieved objectives, and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention is further described below with reference to specific illustrations. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the implementation process includes system setup and hardware connection, parameter configuration and calibration, data acquisition and real-time processing, data analysis and anomaly detection, and data storage and output. The implementation process of the helicopter external payload data acquisition system covers multiple key stages, from hardware deployment to data analysis and output, ensuring data accuracy and system reliability under complex operating conditions.

[0079] 1. The first step is system setup and hardware connection.

[0080] According to experimental requirements, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, various sensors are precisely deployed at key locations on the helicopter: tension sensors are installed at the sling attachment points to monitor dynamic tension changes during lifting operations; strain gauges are attached to key airframe structures to capture stress and strain data in real time; such as Figure 5 As shown, a nine-axis gyroscope and a three-axis vibration sensor are fixed to external load mount 4, used for attitude measurement and vibration monitoring, respectively. During the hardware networking phase, the sensors are connected to a multi-channel data acquisition chassis via customized extended cables and inserted into circuit boards to achieve efficient acquisition of multiple signal types. The external load data acquisition container (IP9 waterproof rating) and the aircraft data acquisition unit (IP6 waterproof rating) are fixed to external load 5 and the fuselage, respectively, and connected to the in-cabin control computer via Ethernet or USB interfaces. To ensure stable operation in extreme environments, a customized nickel-cadmium battery pack (output 220V / 12V) provides continuous power to the system. Its wide temperature range (-40℃~85℃) and shock-resistant design (impact resistance 3000g) ensure reliable power supply under complex flight conditions.

[0081] 2. Parameter Configuration and Calibration

[0082] In LabVIEW software, system initialization includes assigning independent channels to each type of sensor and setting sampling rates (e.g., 12.8 KS / s for vibration signals, 400 S / s for temperature signals) and trigger conditions (e.g., triggering an alarm when the tensile force exceeds 8T). Sensor calibration is divided into static and dynamic parts: static calibration adjusts the gain and offset of the NI-9215 board by applying a known force value (e.g., a 5T weight) to ensure the linearity of tensile force measurement; dynamic calibration uses synchronized data from a nine-axis gyroscope and the aircraft data acquisition system (e.g., pitch angle, GPS altitude) for heterogeneous verification to eliminate system bias. Furthermore, the CDAQ-9189 chassis's TSN (Time-Sensitive Network) technology enables microsecond-level timestamp alignment of data across multiple chassis, ensuring high-precision synchronization of vibration, attitude, and flight parameters.

[0083] 3. Data Acquisition and Real-time Processing Stage

[0084] The system initiates a multi-source synchronous acquisition process. Multi-channel data acquisition cabinets acquire vibration, strain, and temperature signals in parallel, while external load data acquisition buckets simultaneously record attitude and vibration data. The aircraft data acquisition unit obtains flight parameters such as airspeed, air pressure, and altitude. Real-time preprocessing includes filtering and noise reduction, temperature compensation, and unit conversion (converting strain signals from micro-strain to stress values, and voltage signals to tensile force values) to ensure the data can be directly used for engineering analysis.

[0085] 4. Data Analysis and Anomaly Detection

[0086] Deep data mining and risk warning are achieved through the software layer. Multi-source data fusion technology correlates the attitude data of the nine-axis gyroscope with the vibration spectrum (FFT analysis) to identify resonant frequencies caused by aerodynamic loads (such as abnormal peaks at 20Hz) and assess structural fatigue risks. The threshold monitoring function sets safety thresholds (such as a tensile force of 10T), triggering audible and visual alarms and recording event timestamps when these limits are exceeded, ensuring flight safety in real time. Dynamically generated trend graphs (such as tensile-time curves and vibration spectrum graphs) provide experimental personnel with intuitive judgment criteria and assist in rapid decision-making.

[0087] 5. Data storage and output

[0088] Complete data archiving and application. Standardized storage adopts TDMS format, embedding metadata such as sensor parameters and experimental conditions, supporting playback analysis with tools such as LabVIEW or MATLAB; visualization output presents key statistics (such as maximum vibration acceleration, average tension), a list of abnormal events, and 3D attitude animations in PDF reports, facilitating experimental summarization; system integration pushes data to the flight simulation platform through API interface for dynamic model correction and safety threshold optimization of external load attachments, driving design iteration.

Claims

1. An apparatus for collecting data from an external load of a helicopter, comprising: The helicopter external load data acquisition device comprises: an external load data acquisition barrel mounted on the edge of an external load, a multi-channel data acquisition case, a flight parameter acquisition device, a tension and compression force sensor, a motion sensor and a data transmission module; the external load data acquisition barrel is internally provided with the multi-channel data acquisition case, the flight parameter acquisition device, the motion sensor and the data transmission module; the external load is a sling bucket, the sling bucket is hung below the fuselage by a hoisting manner, and the external load data acquisition barrel is mounted on the upper barrel edge of the sling bucket through an external load hanger; the external load data acquisition barrel adopts an IP9 waterproof grade 7075 aluminum alloy shell; the tension and compression force sensor is mounted at the sling, the hanging point of the external load and the connection position of the external load data acquisition barrel, is used for measuring the dynamic tension change in the hoisting operation and transmitting the dynamic tension change to the multi-channel data acquisition case, and feeds back the actual force of the external load to the helicopter, thereby providing a direct basis for evaluating the flight safety threshold, preventing overload or structural failure and the mechanical state; the motion sensor is a sensing unit, is used for capturing the three-dimensional motion state of the helicopter and the external load in real time, and transmitting the three-dimensional motion state to the multi-channel data acquisition case; the flight parameter acquisition device is used for providing GPS height, longitude, latitude and heading data, and transmitting the GPS height, longitude, latitude and heading data to the multi-channel data acquisition case, so as to realize the space-time correlation of the flight trajectory and the load dynamics; the multi-channel data acquisition case is internally provided with a collection and loading modularized board card, supports multi-channel signal synchronous acquisition and processing, and communicates with the in-cabin measurement and control computer of the helicopter through the data transmission module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The tension and compression force sensor comprises a tension sensor and a strain sensor; the tension sensor is mounted on the sling, is used for monitoring the dynamic tension change in the hoisting operation; and the strain sensor is pasted at the hanging point of the external load and the connection position of the external load data acquisition barrel, and is used for capturing stress and strain data in real time.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The motion sensor comprises a nine-axis gyroscope and a three-axis vibration acceleration sensor; the nine-axis gyroscope is used for measuring the pitch angle, roll angle, heading angle and angular velocity; and the three-axis vibration acceleration sensor is used for monitoring the X / Y / Z axial vibration characteristics.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The flight parameter acquisition device comprises a Centaur flight control and a satellite compass.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The tension sensor and the strain sensor are connected to the multi-channel data acquisition case through a customized lengthened cable, are inserted into corresponding board cards, and realize efficient acquisition of multiple types of signals.

6. An external load data acquisition system for a helicopter, comprising: The helicopter external load data acquisition device according to any one of claims 1-5; an aircraft data acquisition instrument fixed to the fuselage of the helicopter; an in-cabin measurement and control computer of the helicopter; the helicopter external load data acquisition device and the aircraft data acquisition instrument respectively communicate with the in-cabin measurement and control computer of the helicopter, the in-cabin measurement and control computer of the helicopter is internally provided with a LabVIEW platform, and controls all sensors in the helicopter external load data acquisition device and the aircraft data acquisition instrument.

7. A method of collecting data from an external load of a helicopter, characterized in that, The in-cabin measurement and control computer of the helicopter according to claim 6, the method comprises: sensors are configured, calibrated and verified, data is acquired and processed, and output and storage are performed through the LabVIEW platform.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein parameter configuration: the sampling rate of the sensor channel and the trigger condition are set in LabVIEW; calibration and verification: static calibration and dynamic calibration are performed on the sensor; Data acquisition and processing: Real-time acquisition of multi-sensor data and time stamping, filtering, temperature compensation, unit conversion, extraction of vibration characteristics and calculation of material mechanical properties; Output and storage: Generate comprehensive reports containing flight attitude, tension, strain, temperature, vibration, and store data in TDMS format for subsequent playback and analysis.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, During data processing, multi-source data fusion technology is used to align the nine-axis gyroscope attitude data, vibration frequency spectrum, and flight parameter space-time, identify abnormal correlations, and perform threshold alarm.

Images