Pylon Tracking Systems for Tiltrotor Aircraft

A pylon tracking system for a tiltrotor aircraft including first and second pylons each having a pylon conversion actuator with first and second drive systems, the pylon tracking system comprising:

• a position sensor system including a plurality of rotary position sensors respectively coupled to the first and second drive systems of the first and second pylons;
• and
• a flight control computer in communication with the position sensor system;
• wherein a first rotary position sensor is configured to receive excitation signals from a second rotary position sensor and to generate output signals representing a combined angular displacement based on angular displacement contributions attributable to at least two rotary position sensors of the plurality of rotary position sensors, including the first and second rotary position sensors;
• and
• wherein the flight control computer is configured to determine at least one of an absolute angular position of a pylon or a differential pylon angle between the first and second pylons based on the output signals.