Aircraft Air Data Voting with Dissimilar Sensors Under Icing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft air data systems are vulnerable to external threats like bird strikes and icing, leading to unreliable air data, which can compromise flight safety and require pilots to manually operate the aircraft with incorrect information.
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 ensure accurate flight control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional air data sensors are used, then the system is simple, but the reliability is reduced due to vulnerability to bird strikes and icing
Solution Approach 1:
The air data sensing system is divided into multiple independent sensor types (Pitot-static sensors, flush-mounted pressure sensors, and angle-of-attack vanes) that are spatially separated and functionally distinct. This segmentation ensures that a single threat (bird strike or icing) cannot corrupt all sensors simultaneously, thereby improving reliability while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric sensor configuration by using dissimilar sensor types with different vulnerability profiles to the same threats. For example, flush-mounted pressure sensors have different icing characteristics compared to traditional Pitot tubes, and angle-of-attack vanes provide independent measurement capability. This asymmetry in sensor design and placement ensures that no single threat mode affects all sensors equally, enhancing overall system reliability.
2Reliability
If redundant air data sensors are used, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control unit performs multiple functions: it processes data from all sensor types, executes voting algorithms to detect corrupted data, isolates failed sensors, and provides accurate air data output. This multi-functionality consolidates the complexity into a single processing unit rather than requiring separate systems for each function, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback through voting algorithms that monitor air data from multiple sensors in real-time. When discrepancies are detected, the system provides feedback to identify and isolate corrupted sensors, then adjusts the data fusion process to rely on healthy sensors. This feedback mechanism automatically maintains reliability without requiring manual intervention or complex manual override systems.
3Measurement precision
If voting algorithms are implemented, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical voting hardware with software-based voting algorithms executed by the flight control unit. The software compares air data parameters (pressure, temperature, angle of attack) from multiple sensors, identifies outliers through computational logic, and selects consistent measurements. This substitution of mechanical voting systems with software processing improves measurement precision while keeping device complexity manageable through programmable logic rather than additional physical components.
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.