DANIELA - Demonstration of ANemometry InstrumEnt Based on LAser
Overview
Background & policy context:
The availability of highly integrated laser and optics technology offer the prospect of increased aircraft Air Data System robustness in adverse conditions. Indeed, although critical, the system is subject to hailstone, icing, corrosion, bird collision, passenger stairs mishandling. Thus the optics technology offers the capability to improve the operational capacity and safety of the air transport system. DANIELA aimed to carry out research and development as well as technology maturity improvement to prepare the installation on new airliners of a fully non intrusive Optical Air Data System (OADS).
Thus the project focus was on:
- validating the capability of the system to measure the parameters in all flight conditions;
- addressing the main issues coming from the use of signal back scattering instead of well known pressure measures. Atmosphere particle dissemination studies will be performed, and OADS system will be evaluated in a worst case i.e. high altitude un polar conditions;
- investigating mature dedicated technology improvement in laser sources and optical functions integration glasses are the key technology to reach commercial air transport requirements and ensure a European source for optical ADS, along with dedicated signal processing schemes. Resistance of side mounted OADS glasses to dust, ice or sand as well as any atmospheric erosion were evaluated during representative tests in wind tunnel;
- evaluating the new temperature measurement principle that allows replacement of the intrusive TAT probe. Future generation airliner studies have already set the main driver for a competitive aircraft.
DANIELA aimed to push integration a step beyond NESLIE (FP6) demonstrator to fully validate the OADS concept with regards to future commercial air transport needs. The output of the project is validated technology that enable the introduction of OADS in future airliners (around 2015) and secure the certification process of such aircraft.
Objectives:
The aim of the DANIELA (Demonstration of ANemometry InstrumEnt based on LAser) project was to prepare the operational use of a flush mounted ADS (Air Data System) built around a three axis Doppler LIDAR function as a primary air data channel on civil aircraft, and to assess optical concepts for the measurement of temperature and density to complete the ADS.
The availability of highly integrated laser and optics technology offer the prospect of increased aircraft Air Data System robustness in adverse conditions. Indeed, although critical, the system is subject to hailstone, icing, corrosion, bird collision, passenger stairs mishandling. Thus the optics technology offers the capability to improve the operational capacity and safety of the air transport system.
Methodology:
The project was organised into work packages resulting in:
- Survey on worldwide particles distribution in the troposphere for a better assessment of optical measurement availability (based on satellite observations and on ground observations);
- Design of a highly performing mock-up in adverse conditions (very low concentration of particles);
- Research and development of on board laser using innovative technologies;
- Development of a complete functional mock-up;
- Flights test in adverse conditions (arctic region);
- Studies and evaluation of promising technologies in temperature measurement;
- Consortium management.
The duration of the project was 36 months.
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