1. An ice protection system adapted to protect at least one ice-susceptible region of an aircraft, said system comprising: an ice protection device associated with each region; an onboard power source; a supply line connecting the onboard power source to each ice protection device; a controller for each ice protection device, which controls power supply through the supply line based on an ice-condition input and historical data of ice-condition input; an optimizer which conveys instructions to each controller; and an ice detector which provides an ice-condition input, wherein the ice condition input includes a thickness of ice on a surface of the at least one ice-susceptible region of the aircraft; wherein the optimizer uses the ice-condition input and the historical data of ice-condition input to generate the instructions, wherein the instructions include operating in a deicing cycle when the thickness of the ice is below a first threshold thickness and above a second threshold thickness.