Distributed Air Data Modules for Low-Weight Redundant Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smaller aircraft, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, face restrictions on cost, weight, and power budget, making traditional multiple redundant air data systems impractical.
Innovation Solution
A distributed electric air data module system that reduces hardware requirements by using a control module communicatively connected to multiple air data systems via a data channel, each equipped with sensors and analog-to-digital converters, generating and transmitting digital air data parameter signals through an aircraft data bus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple redundant air data systems are installed aboard an aircraft, then reliability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the air data processing into separate functional modules: sensors distributed throughout the aircraft, individual ADC modules at each sensor location, and a central control module. This segmentation allows multiple sensors to share common processing resources, reducing overall weight while maintaining redundancy through distributed sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module serves multiple air data systems simultaneously, and each ADC module can process data from its associated sensor. This multi-functionality allows a single control module to manage multiple redundant sensing channels, eliminating the need for separate dedicated processing hardware for each sensor and thereby reducing weight.
2Reliability
If multiple redundant air data systems are installed aboard an aircraft, then reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple air data systems share common hardware resources including the control module, data channels, and processing architecture. By merging these common functions into shared components rather than duplicating them across multiple independent systems, the overall manufacturing cost is reduced while maintaining the redundancy benefits of multiple sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module and ADC modules are designed to handle multiple air data systems through universal interfaces and processing capabilities. This multi-functionality reduces the total component count and manufacturing complexity compared to implementing separate dedicated systems for each sensor, thereby lowering overall system cost.
3Reliability
If multiple redundant air data systems are installed aboard an aircraft, then reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments power consumption across distributed components: low-power sensors at each location, individual ADC modules that convert and transmit data efficiently, and a central control module that processes all inputs. This segmentation allows each component to operate at optimal power levels rather than duplicating full-power processing units at each sensor location, reducing total power consumption while maintaining redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module provides universal processing for multiple air data systems, eliminating the need for each sensor to have its own dedicated high-power processing unit. This shared processing architecture significantly reduces overall power consumption compared to multiple independent redundant systems, while the control module can selectively activate processing for each sensor channel as needed.
4Reliability
If multiple redundant air data systems are installed aboard an aircraft, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments functionality into standardized modules: sensor modules, ADC modules, and a control module with standardized interfaces. This modular segmentation simplifies the overall system architecture compared to multiple monolithic redundant systems, as each module has a defined function and interface, making the system easier to manage and integrate despite having multiple sensing channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module implements universal processing logic that handles multiple air data systems through standardized data channels and communication protocols. This universality reduces complexity by providing a single point of control for all sensors rather than requiring separate control logic for each redundant system, simplifying system integration and data management.
Data Source
AI summary
A distributed air data module system includes several air data systems and a control module communicatively connected to each air data system via a data channel. Each of the air data systems includes a sensor that is configured to sense an air data parameter and to provide a sensor output signal that is indicative of the sensed air data parameter, and a sensor analog-to-digital converter that produces a digital air data parameter signal that is representative of the sensor output signal. Each air data system has an associated air data system address code. The control module is configured to generate a selected air data system address code corresponding to a selected air data systems, receive the digital air data parameter signal associated with the selected air data system via the data channel, and transmit the digital air data parameter signal via an aircraft data bus.