US Patent 11851193 Blended optical and vane synthetic air data architecture

An optical ice detector and airspeed probe includes an ice detection module and an airspeed module. The ice detection module detects the presence or absence of ice, water, or ice and water particles, and the airspeed module determines a line-of-sight speed along a directional vector, each based on backscatter light returns emitted from a common collimated light source. An electronics module determines an airspeed of an aircraft based on the line-of-sight speed determined by the airspeed module and at least one aircraft parameter received from the air data system.