NASA Develops Wireless Sensors To Detect Lightning Strike Damage To Composite Aircrafts

Within a typical year of operation, a transport aircraft is likely to be struck by lightning at least once or twice. Since lightning strikes are a safety hazard to aircrafts, maintenance staff must visually assess any damage to ensure safe flight operations. NASA researchers have developed a wireless sensor technology that can be applied to lightning strike protection, damage detection, and damage diagnosis on the composite materials of today’s aircrafts. This article presents their process of using FEKO software in conjunction with optimizing and validating sensor designs in order to fast-track readiness for aircraft safety and commercial applications. Download the paper for the full story.