IC2 and AVEC Inc. have partnered by combining IC2’s WirelessArray® with AVEC’s Flight Test Software to create an innovative, complete solution for flyover acoustic phased array measurements. IC2’s WirelessArray system greatly reduces recurring costs associated with array deployment by eliminating miles of cable runs to individual nodes and by protecting against impending weather events through its environmentally hardened enclosure. The union of IC2 products with AVEC software provides for an easily expandable array with faster deployment, the option to analyze raw data during flight testing, and robust software ensuring seamless operation throughout the test campaign.
Wireless Ground-Test Arrays for Full-Scale Airframe Noise Source Testing
WirelessArray is a field-deployable, wireless data-acquisition system for ground-test arrays, applicable in noise-source localization or beamforming measurements such as those encountered during airplane noise flyover measurement tests. This GPS time-synchronized wireless array features distributed nodes with interchangeable sensor interfaces measuring and communicating high-fidelity data back to a centralized data acquisition server.
The WirelessArray system is composed of four major components:
- the Wireless Sensing Nodes,
- the Central Sensing Plate (optional),
- the Field Data-Collection Architecture, and
- the Data-Collection Server.
Acoustic Phased Array Flight Test Software with Advanced Beamforming Algorithms
AVEC has developed state-of-the-art phased array software for flight tests. Features include several options for aircraft tracking (GPS, line cameras, manual triggers), a data pre-processing module to check all microphones signals simultaneously, deconvolution, directivity calculations, EPNL estimation, and automatic report generation (including word processor, slides, JPEG and HTML formats), among other features:
- Advanced beamforming and deconvolution options available, including corrections for layered atmospheric conditions.
- Handles hundreds of files for easy batch processing, visualization, and integration of acoustic maps
- Intuitive interface and multi-threaded processing allow for quick setup and analysis, even during flight tests.
- Visualize acoustic maps, integrate results, and estimate EPNL levels with ease.
- During flight testing, the user can quickly analyze raw data, obtain preliminary acoustic maps, integrate results, and estimate EPNL.
- Acoustic maps (for narrowband or different octave bands) can be visualized as conventional contour plots or overlaid with pictures/drawings of the aircraft.
- Robust software platform ensures seamless operation and data interpretation.
Complete Flyover Acoustic Array Solution
Leverage this comprehensive system to attain an order of magnitude faster deployment over wired systems while also benefitting from the system architecture that enables an easily expandable and adjustable array size (meters to kilometers) and shape. Take advantage of proven time-domain beamforming and post-beamforming processing software and visualization capabilities, that were developed with productivity in mind, to process the acquired data and view the results.
To learn more about this system:
- Download the product flyer
- Visit the WirelessArray product page
- Visit AVEC’s website
- Contact IC2 at sales@thinkic2.com