SBIR-STTR Award

The development of a commercially viable photogrammetric system is proposed for measurement of motion and deformation of flight control surfaces. This system will measure the position, velocity and deformation of flight control surfaces in an aircraft where such deformation typically includes bending and twist of these surfaces produced by aerodynamic forces. The Phase I effort focuses on performing a feasibility study of the proposed technique and demonstrating a prototype system. A follow-on Phase II effort would culminate with a working commercial system which will be validated in appropriate wind tunnel and/or flight tests. The significance of such a system is that it provides accurate, non-contact measurements of motion, as well as deformation of a flight control surface using digital photogrammetry. In Phase II, the system will also be enhanced to determine the stresses on flight control surfaces, based on motion and deformation measurements. This innovative system will be robust and easy-to-use, and suitable for a variety of aircrafts.

Potential Commercial Applications:
The proposed photogrammetric system for deformation measurement will first be used as a research tool for aircraft design and evaluation. After the hardware and software are both ruggedized, the system can be used routinely to measure motion and deformation of flight control surfaces in various aircrafts in manufacturing environments for quality inspection and process control. In addition to applications in aerospace industry, a large market exists for remote optical profiling measurements of complex objects and parts in general manufacturing industries. Other industrial applications include machine vision, architectural and terrestrial surveying, and forensic reconstruction. In the medical field, the potential applications include the diagnosis of muscular and skeletal problems, studies of anatomy, and reconstructive surgery.

The development of a commercially viable photogrammetric system is proposed for measurement of motion and deformation of flight control surfaces. The Phase II effort will build upon the accomplishments of Phase I, and develop a fast response, high resolution system that can track targets even after temporary loss. The dynamic capabilities of the system will be achieved by employing multi-thread/multi-processing technologies as well as high-speed, high resolution cameras. An integrated software package will be developed to produce a fully capable, user friendly graphical interface for controlling all operations of the photogrammetry system including, but not limited to, camera calibration, data acquisition, processing and display. The significance of such a system is that it provides real time, accurate, non-contact measurements of motion, as well as deformation of a flight control surface using digital photogrammetry. POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS The proposed photogrammetric system for deformation measurement will first be used as a research tool for aircraft design and evaluation. The fast response, high resolution measurement system will also find application in aircraft morphing studies. After the hardware and software are both ruggedized, the system can be used routinely to measure motion and deformation of flight control surfaces in various aircrafts, in manufacturing environments for quality inspection and process control. In addition to applications in aerospace industry, a large market exists for remote optical profiling measurements of complex objects and parts in general manufacturing industries. Other industrial applications include machine vision, architectural and terrestrial surveying, and forensic reconstruction. In the medical field, the potential applications include the diagnosis of muscular and skeletal problems, studies of anatomy, and reconstructive surgery