A load balancing system for a system of rotating elements such as a helicopter rotor or an airplane propeller. The load balancing system includes two or more balancing tubes rotationally attached to blades or props on the system of rotating elements. The balancing tubes are slightly curved and enclose a hollow space containing a quantity of weighted fluid such as mercury. During operation of the system of rotating elements, the weighted fluid disperses throughout the hollow space in the balancing tubes so as to counter any imbalance in the system of rotating elements. Centrifugal forces will cause different dispersal of the weighted fluid throughout the hollow space depending on the overall pulling or pushing forces resulting from any imbalance.

A method of forming a balanced rotor blade assembly includes measuring a weight of a plurality of sub-components of the rotor blade assembly excluding a core. A configuration of a core of the rotor blade assembly is determined. In combination, the core and the plurality of sub-components achieve a target weight distribution and moment. The core is then fabricated and assembled with the plurality of sub-components to form a rotor blade sub-assembly.

A for providing control input adjustment for an aircraft, including one or more mode sensors disposed on an aircraft, a mode analysis system, the mode analysis system operable to receive mode sensor data from the one or more mode sensors, and operable to decompose the mode sensor data into decomposed mode data associated with fundamental modes of structural elements of the aircraft associated with the one or more mode sensors, and a flight control computer (FCC) disposed on the aircraft and connected to one or more actuators, the FCC operable to provide a control signal to the one or more actuators according to an association between the decomposed mode data and one or more rotorcraft parameters associated with the one or more actuators.

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes: a gearbox including: a housing having an opening; an input pinion disposed in the housing; a moving feature mechanically coupled to the input pinion, the moving feature and the input pinion being operable to convert between power and torque; and first sensors disposed on the moving feature, the first sensors having batteries, where the moving feature is operable to rotate about a common axis, each of the first sensors being exposed by the opening as the moving feature rotates about the common axis.

A method of forming a balanced rotor blade assembly includes measuring a weight of a plurality of sub-components of the rotor blade assembly excluding a core. A configuration of a core of the rotor blade assembly is determined. In combination, the core and the plurality of sub-components achieve a target weight distribution and moment. The core is then fabricated and assembled with the plurality of sub-components to form a rotor blade sub-assembly.

A flight control system for a rotary-wing aircraft includes a shape sensor and a controller. The shape sensor is configured to measure a shape of a rotor blade during movement of the rotor blade. The controller is communicably coupled to the shape sensor and is configured to (i) receive, from the shape sensor, a first signal indicative of a first blade shape; (ii) receive a blade characteristic regarding the rotor blade; and (iii) determine at least one of a moment or force associated with the rotor blade based on the first signal and the blade characteristic.

The present invention relates to a method and a system for tracking the motion of a blade of a wind turbine. One embodiment relates to a blade motion tracking system for installation on a wind turbine blade, where the wind turbine blade comprises a blade root and a blade tip. The system comprises at least one light module comprising at least a first light source, preferably adapted to emit light in the direction of the blade root. An optical measuring device is provided, preferably located at the blade root, adapted to receive light emitted from the first light source(s). The optical measuring device is preferably a position sensitive detector identifying the position of the first light source relative to the position sensitive detector. A single light source located at the tip of the blade, close to the tip of the or towards the tip of the blade, is sufficient to measure deflection of the blade. Advantageously the first light source is modulated with a predefined modulation frequency such that light from the first light source can be distinguished from ambient light and thereby minimize the influence of the ambient light conditions during detection.

According to certain aspects of the disclosure, a computer-implemented method may be used for rotorcraft track and balance. The method may include capturing one or more images of at least one rotating blades of a rotorcraft and analyzing the one or more images of the at least one rotating blades to determine blade information. Additionally, the method may include determining a location of the at least one rotating blades in the one or more images based on the blade information and calculating blade position information based on the determined location of the at least one rotating blade and a parameter of a user device capturing the one or more images. Additionally, the method may include displaying the blade position information to the user device and displaying instructions on one or more adjustments to the at least one rotating blades of the rotorcraft based on the blade position information.

A method of providing torque protection and/or thrust protection for the or each propeller of a hybrid helicopter. The hybrid helicopter includes a control system connected to the blades of each propeller and a thrust control configured to generate an order for modifying a pitch of the blades, which order is transmitted to the control system, the propeller(s) being driven in rotation by a mechanical transmission system of the hybrid helicopter. The method includes a step of having the control system keep the pitch of the blades of a propeller within at least one control envelope relating to a thrust generated by the propeller or to a torque exerted in the mechanical transmission system. In this way, the pitch of the blades of each propeller is kept between a lower limit and an upper limit of the control envelope.

A rotorcraft comprising a rotor blade designed to flap about a hinge point, a measurement system designed to measure blade flapping, and a processing system designed to alter blade flapping measurements. The processing system further comprises a correction process to alter a blade flapping measurement dependent on rotor RPM or rotor torque.