Last Updated: August 11, 2020
Aerospace and Defense
Laser Sensors for Aerospace and Defense Industries
Aerospace and Defense applications often push the limits of technology and almost always demand very high tolerances in accuracy and resolution. Engineers choose Acuity sensors for lab or production line test and measurement or to develop advanced vehicles or UAV’s that will be used in combat zones. The products are frequently used in controlled environments, research or prototypes. Other short range sensors are selected to measure the deflection (under loading) of portable bridges for the Army and marine containers for the Navy.
This application list is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of laser sensors for aerospace and defense industries. The measuring tasks are by no means limited to these examples, and may serve as a suggestion for similar or completely different applications.
Aerial Survey – Altitude
Altitude measurement is an application that demands high performance from non-contact distance sensors.
Aircraft Engine Hoisting
Acuity laser rangefinders have been installed and used for the precise positioning of cranes during the aircraft engine hoisting process.
AR3000 Laser Sensor Used in the Testing of the Morpheus Lander at NASA
NASA-JSC used an AR3000 laser sensor as a laser altimeter to measure the altitude of the Morpheus Lander in flight. The laser has been one of the more reliable sensors on the lander.
Height Measurement Using Aerial and UAV Devices
As aerial vehicles become autonomous, sensors are needed to verify altitude above landing strips. Also, low-flying aircraft may use laser rangefinders to profile the grounds below.
Laser Altimeter
UAV projects depend on sensors to provide spatial information for route planning and crash avoidance.
Laser Altimeter for UAV
Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle projects depend on sensors to provide spatial information for route planning and crash avoidance. A developer of an unmanned airplane arrived at a dual-sensor system utilizing a customized AR3000 setup.
Laser Altimeter Used in NASA Project M
Project M was a proposed project to land an operational humanoid robot on the moon in 1000 days (M is the Roman numeral for 1000). As with most autonomous vehicle projects, the design of the NASA RR-1 Lander required many sensors to fully control its flight. Design engineers contacted Acuity for a solution to measure the altitude of their RR-1 Lander.
Static and Dynamic Displacement Testing of Aircraft Structures
To determine the strength of aircraft structures, components are mounted on tensile testing machines and loads are applied to measure the amount of forces aircraft structures are able to withstand. This is done in order to verify design loads and specifications of the aircraft.
Wing Displacement Measurement Tests
The “wing up-bend test” is a test of the mechanical integrity of composite wings as they are displaced upwards. Hanging from the end of each wing is a laser distance sensor, mounted on a gimbal to ensure the laser would be pointed perpendicularly to the floor as the wing is bent upwards.
