Multi-function air data probes air-data pressure probe

The Multi-function air data probes is a multi-function air data pressure probe from Aeroprobe with professional grade and dual-use market. Multi-function air data probes from Aeroprobe are pitot tubes for unmanned aircraft: stainless steel multi-port pressure probes that sample the airflow ahead of the airframe so that an air data computer can derive the full flow vector. They are intended for UAVs and other aircraft that need airspeed together with flow angles, and they replace the separate pitot tube, static port and vane sensors that would otherwise be fitted.

A multi-function probe carries several pressure ports in one body. By comparing the pressures at those ports, the processing equipment calculates angle of attack, sideslip, airspeed and altitude. The probe has no moving parts, which keeps weight, response time and mechanical wear low and removes the vane bearings that other angle sensors need. For flight control this means a single small intrusion into the airstream supplies the data used for envelope protection, gust handling and navigation.

Aeroprobe builds its air data probes with one, three or five tip ports plus a static ring. Probes are available in straight, L-shaped and strut-mounted geometries, and an internal anti-icing heater is an option for operation in icing conditions. The probes are calibrated against NIST-traceable references, with up to 500 discrete aerodynamic calibration points per speed, so the processing software can convert port pressures into flow quantities over the operating range.

The probe is a purely pneumatic sensing element: it connects by tubing to the pressure measurement and processing equipment. Aeroprobe pairs it with its Micro Air Data Computers (the Pegasus, Endeavor, Destiny, Orion and Voyager units), which accept the standard, heated and temperature-measuring probes. The listed Pegasus, Destiny and Endeavor units measure 66 x 79 x 41 mm and draw 1.1 W; the Orion is a rugged round unit of 95 mm diameter and 28 mm height, and the Voyager adds an integrated GPS/INS. Full flow-vector measurements require the matching calibration and Aeroprobe processing.

Typical uses are fixed-wing and VTOL unmanned aircraft, large UAS and eVTOL test aircraft that need angle-of-attack and sideslip for control laws, flight envelope monitoring, flight testing and research, and autonomous flight where a conventional single-port pitot tube gives too little information.