At the 2025 Paris Air Show, the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) and PhotonFirst announced their joint development of an advanced Structural Health and Usage Monitoring System (SHUMS) for helicopters. This collaboration represents a major leap in aerospace monitoring, enabling real-time tracking of structural loads and fatigue during flight.
Helicopter operators face significant challenges due to unexpected downtime and expensive repairs, which can impact operational efficiency and flight safety. Predictive maintenance addresses these issues by detecting potential problems early, reducing risks, minimizing downtime, and cutting maintenance costs. Accurate load monitoring provides deeper insights into the structural condition of aircraft.
PhotonFirst is introducing a new aerospace-certified fiber sensing interrogator at the airshow, designed for reliable operation under extreme conditions. This system, which uses optical fiber sensors and integrated photonic chips, is set to achieve certification for deployment on the NH90 helicopter in July—a key milestone in applying fiber optic sensing technology to aviation.
Together, PhotonFirst and NLR are advancing this innovation into a fully integrated SHUMS platform, aiming for widespread application across the helicopter sector and beyond. Their combined expertise is paving the way for next-generation, real-time structural monitoring that enhances predictive maintenance and operational readiness.
