An organization needed accurate data to confirm the position and velocity of objects during store separation testing. Validation of prediction techniques (such as wind tunnel and mathematical modeling) was required to complete Flight Test Instrumentation (FTI) studies. The speed at which the events would happen made it necessary to use a high-speed imagery solution.
The cameras were located outside a military aircraft and subjected to harsh environmental conditions including shock, vibration, and temperature. While many cameras on the market may be suitable for different climates and for extreme sports or industrial applications, few are able to work optimally while experiencing these conditions.
The cost of flying the test missions was very high, as with all test flights. In addition to the high cost of flying the aircraft, the ground support team, infrastructure, and additional resources for setup and post-mission analysis further increased the cost. A test flight that resulted in bad data and required another flight was, therefore, to be avoided if possible.
A high-speed camera network was successfully installed that coherently gathered the required data. Read about the solution Curtiss-Wright developed and the results achieved in our case study - download the case study to learn more.