FIBER OPTIC BASED TECHNOLOGY FOR UAV STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING

摘要

Data processing obtained from an airborne, real time, load tracking and structural health monitoring system is presented. The system is based on optical Fiber Bragg sensors embedded in the two tail booms of an unmanned aerial vehicle. Flight data were analyzed both in the frequency and time domains so that abnormal structural behavior could be identified and tracked, and its impact on structural integrity evaluated. Tracking the structural behavior over time can be used for Condition Based Maintenance (CBM), with the hope to eventually reduce maintenance cost and aircraft down-time.