A method of determining ice accretion on a surface of an aircraft can include supplying a known power to a heating element formed in a patch, wherein the patch includes a temperature sensor. A controller module can compare a sensed thermal signature with a threshold signature and determine the presence of ice accretion on the aircraft.

A rotor ice protection system (RIPS) apparatus for an aircraft to heat aircraft rotor blades is provided. The RIPS apparatus includes circuitry disposed to transmit electrical loads associated with RIPS operations, an indicator unit disposed to alert a pilot of the aircraft to a RIPS condition indicating an operating status of the RIPS operations, a controller configured to actuate the RIPS operations in accordance with current conditions and to issue a command to the indicator unit to alert the pilot to the RIPS operations according to the actuation and a sensor system disposed to sense whether the circuitry is transmitting the electrical loads and to provide a sensing result to the indicator unit. The indicator unit additionally alerts the pilot to the RIPS operations according to the sensing result.

A rotor ice protection system (RIPS) apparatus for an aircraft to heat aircraft rotor blades is provided. The RIPS apparatus includes circuitry disposed to transmit electrical loads associated with RIPS operations, an indicator unit disposed to alert a pilot of the aircraft to a RIPS condition indicating an operating status of the RIPS operations, a controller configured to actuate the RIPS operations in accordance with current conditions and to issue a command to the indicator unit to alert the pilot to the RIPS operations according to the actuation and a sensor system disposed to sense whether the circuitry is transmitting the electrical loads and to provide a sensing result to the indicator unit. The indicator unit additionally alerts the pilot to the RIPS operations according to the sensing result.

An anti-ice system includes an anti-ice element and an electronic processing system. The electronic processing system is configured to determine an icing condition encounter prior to an aircraft entering a region of the icing condition and provide a control signal for causing the anti-ice element to heat a surface or device of the aircraft before the aircraft enters the region.

An anti-ice system includes an anti-ice element and an electronic processing system. The electronic processing system is configured to determine an icing condition encounter prior to an aircraft entering a region of the icing condition and provide a control signal for causing the anti-ice element to heat a surface or device of the aircraft before the aircraft enters the region.

An anti-icing/de-icing system for an airfoil structure having multiple layers is provided and includes a thermal article, wherein the thermal article is embedded within the airfoil structure to be located between the multiple layers. The thermal article includes a first terminal end, a second terminal end and a thermal expanded mesh material which connects the first terminal end with the second terminal end, and wherein the thermal expanded mesh material is configured to have at least one predetermined resistance between the first terminal end and the second terminal end.

An anti-icing/de-icing system for an airfoil structure having multiple layers is provided and includes a thermal article, wherein the thermal article is embedded within the airfoil structure to be located between the multiple layers. The thermal article includes a first terminal end, a second terminal end and a thermal expanded mesh material which connects the first terminal end with the second terminal end, and wherein the thermal expanded mesh material is configured to have at least one predetermined resistance between the first terminal end and the second terminal end.

An aircraft (5) including an aerodynamic surface (6), an aerodynamics improvement device with a first electrode (27) embedded beneath and electrically isolated from the aerodynamic surface (6), a second electrode (28) electrically isolated from the first electrode (27), a voltage generator (30) adapted to apply a voltage between the first and the second electrode, further comprising a layer of electrically insulating material (26) between the second electrode (28) and the aerodynamic surface (6). Methods for detecting ice on and de-icing an aerodynamic surface (6), and for delaying a boundary layer transition and separation from the aerodynamic surface.

An aircraft (5) including an aerodynamic surface (6), an aerodynamics improvement device with a first electrode (27) embedded beneath and electrically isolated from the aerodynamic surface (6), a second electrode (28) electrically isolated from the first electrode (27), a voltage generator (30) adapted to apply a voltage between the first and the second electrode, further comprising a layer of electrically insulating material (26) between the second electrode (28) and the aerodynamic surface (6). Methods for detecting ice on and de-icing an aerodynamic surface (6), and for delaying a boundary layer transition and separation from the aerodynamic surface.

A method and a device are disclosed for determining icing on an aircraft, as well as an aircraft. The method can include acquiring a current flight state of the aircraft, acquiring current flight conditions of the aircraft, estimating an estimated power feed of a power supply of the aircraft for the current flight state under the current flight conditions, comparing the estimated power feed with an actual power feed of the power supply of the aircraft, and determining a presence of icing on the aircraft when a probability of an existence of icing conditions exceeds a predetermined probability threshold and the estimated power feed exceeds the actual power feed by a predetermined amount.