A major U.S. defense contractor was preparing a next-generation reconnaissance helicopter for flight testing - an agile, mission-critical platform designed to operate in complex, contested environments. As part of the test campaign, engineers needed to evaluate an advanced sensor suite intended to boost situational awareness and overcome network challenges. The performance of this aircraft and its onboard systems would shape future deployment decisions, making it essential to capture, offload, and analyze high-bandwidth data with speed and precision.
The contractor aimed to capture high-speed video and network data during flight tests. This included two direct IP camera footage streams and 300 Mbps of Ethernet data. The data had to be recorded reliably and stored in a packet capture (PCAP) format for immediate analysis using common tools. The engineering and test teams needed to quickly offload performance and system data between test flights to minimize turnaround time and remain on schedule and within budget. Additionally, the data acquisition and recording system had to withstand the challenging conditions of a helicopter environment while supporting consistent monitoring and standardized testing procedures.
