Radio frequency waveguide communication in high temperature environments

A system for a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:

• a network of a plurality of nodes distributed throughout the gas turbine engine, each of the nodes associated with at least one sensor and/or effector of the gas turbine engine and operable to communicate through one or more electromagnetic signals;
• a controller of the gas turbine engine operable to communicate with the network of nodes through the one or more electromagnetic signals;
• a plurality of waveguides configured to guide transmission of the one or more electromagnetic signals between the controller and one or more of the nodes;
• a radio frequency transceiver configured to establish communication between the controller and a first waveguide of the plurality of waveguides;
• and
• a membrane configured to support communication between the first waveguide and at least one node of the plurality of nodes.

A method of establishing electromagnetic communication, the method comprising:

• configuring a network of a plurality of nodes to communicate through one or more electromagnetic signals;
• initiating communication between a controller and the network of nodes through the one or more electromagnetic signals;
• guiding transmission of the one or more electromagnetic signals in a plurality of waveguides between the controller and one or more of the nodes;
• propagating a portion of the one or more electromagnetic signals through a radio frequency transceiver configured to establish communication between the controller and a first waveguide of the plurality of waveguides, and a membrane configured to support communication between the first waveguide and at least one node of the plurality of nodes.