Incidentally the heli I fly already has 7 sources of electrical power, two alternators / TRUs driven by the main gearbox, a hydraulically driven turbine generator for emergency backup, a small alternator on each engine for FADEC supply, a main battery and a standby battery.
In a FBW helicopter would a computer automatically draw power from the most efficient source and keep rotating the power supply in the event of a generator failure?
In terms of relative safety, does anyone know what kind of processors are used to translate the electrical impulses into mechanical movements at the actuator level. What kind of vulnerability do these imply over the existing methods of control? I assume these are circuit boards which then activate servos? What kind of shielding/protection/redundancy do these have?