A method of monitoring a rotor blade (14) is provided. The method includes disposing a probe (22) including an optical sensor (25) within a mounting hole in a turbine casing (36) of a turbine engine. A (5) laser beam is them emitted by a light source (54) radially inward from the probe position onto a rotor blade tip (100) of the rotor blade (14). The rotor blade (14) is positioned such that it periodically passes the laser beam. The rotor blade tip (100) includes a predetermined pattern (120). The reflected light images from the rotor blade tip (100) are received by the optical sensor (25). From the (10) reflected light images, a blade profile is constructed. Based on this constructed blade profile from the reflected light images off the predetermined pattern (120), a position of the rotor blade (14) is determined. A system of monitoring a rotor blade (14) is also provided.
展开▼
