Dissimilar Air Data Sensor Voting for Corrupted Signal Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft air data systems are vulnerable to external threats like bird strikes and icing, leading to unreliable air data, and existing systems lack effective methods to ensure accurate and reliable air data delivery to pilots and flight systems.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with dissimilar air data sensors of different types, such as flush mounted pressure sensors, multi-function probes, pitot probes, and angle of attack vanes, which are not coupled to pneumatic connections, and a flight control unit that performs voting algorithms to select reliable air data and detect corrupted signals, ensuring accurate flight control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional air data sensors are used, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the reliability is degraded under external threats like bird strikes and icing
Solution Approach 1:
The air data sensor system is segmented into multiple independent sensors of different types (Pitot-static sensors, flush-mounted pressure sensors, capacitance micromachined pressure sensors) distributed at different locations on the aircraft. This segmentation ensures that a single threat (bird strike, icing) cannot corrupt all sensors simultaneously, thereby improving reliability while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Different types of air data sensors are deployed at different locations on the aircraft based on their specific threat exposure characteristics. For example, Pitot-static sensors are positioned where they are less susceptible to icing, while flush-mounted sensors are placed to minimize bird strike vulnerability. This local quality approach optimizes the reliability of each sensor type for its specific operational environment.
2Reliability
If redundant air data sensors are used, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases due to multiple sensors of the same type
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using symmetric redundancy with multiple identical sensors, the system employs asymmetric redundancy with dissimilar sensor types (Pitot-static, flush-mounted, capacitance micromachined). Each sensor type has different failure modes and threat vulnerabilities, providing reliability through diversity rather than duplication. This asymmetric approach reduces complexity by avoiding the need for identical sensor arrays while maintaining robust reliability.
3Measurement precision
If voting algorithms are implemented to detect corrupted signals, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control unit implements voting algorithms that continuously monitor and compare data from multiple dissimilar air data sensors in real-time. When discrepancies are detected, the system automatically identifies and isolates corrupted signals through feedback mechanisms, maintaining measurement precision without requiring complex manual intervention. The feedback loop ensures continuous accuracy while managing computational complexity through algorithmic efficiency.
4Ease of operation
If pilots manually operate aircraft with unreliable air data, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the loss of information increases due to incorrect flight information
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control system automatically performs self-service by continuously monitoring air data sensor outputs, detecting corrupted signals, and isolating failed sensors without pilot intervention. The system self-corrects by voting on valid data from remaining functional sensors, ensuring accurate flight information is maintained and presented to pilots. This eliminates the need for pilots to manually manage unreliable data while preserving information accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method include air data sensors configured to detect one more characteristics of air surrounding an aircraft. At least three of the air data sensors differ in type. The air data sensors are configured to output air data. A flight control unit is in communication with the air data sensors. The flight control unit is configured to receive the air data from the air data sensors and control at least one aspect of the aircraft based on at least a portion of the air data. In at least one example, the flight control unit is further configured to vote in relation to the air data from the air data sensors.