Autonomous Refueling Boom Alignment for Multi-Aircraft Tankers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current airborne refueling systems, such as the hose and drogue and boom and receptacle systems, face challenges in efficiently and safely refueling multiple aircraft simultaneously, with limitations in precision and control, particularly in aligning the refueling boom with the receiver aircraft's receptacle during in-flight operations.
Innovation Solution
A refueling device and method that includes a boom member with a spatial control system, allowing for autonomous steering and alignment to maintain a desired angular disposition with respect to the forward direction, enabling precise engagement with the receiver aircraft's fuel receptacle, even when towed by a tanker aircraft via a fuel hose, and includes a controller for maneuvering the boom member along the boom axis for fuel transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional hose and drogue system or boom and receptacle system is used for airborne refueling, then fuel transfer can be achieved, but precision and control in aligning the refueling boom with the receiver aircraft's receptacle deteriorates, especially during in-flight operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control systems with an autonomous guidance and control system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators to automatically align and position the refueling boom with the receiver aircraft's receptacle, significantly improving alignment precision while reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The refueling system incorporates autonomous self-alignment capabilities where the boom system automatically detects the receiver aircraft's position and orientation using sensors, calculates the required alignment adjustments, and executes positioning maneuvers without continuous manual intervention, thereby improving both precision and ease of operation
2Productivity
If a single boom system is used in tankers, then the system structure remains simple, but the ability to refuel multiple receiver aircraft simultaneously deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the refueling system into multiple independent boom units that can operate simultaneously, with each boom capable of serving a different receiver aircraft. This segmentation enables the tanker to refuel multiple aircraft at once, dramatically increasing productivity while the modular architecture keeps individual boom units relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the boom system with universal multi-functionality, where a single boom unit can serve multiple purposes: refueling different types of receiver aircraft, operating in various flight configurations, and potentially switching between different refueling modes. This allows the system to handle multiple aircraft types and scenarios without requiring completely separate specialized systems for each function
3Measurement precision
If the boom is actively controlled during refueling, then alignment precision improves, but the complexity of the control system and operational procedures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex manual mechanical control with an automated guidance system that uses sensors to detect relative position and orientation, processors to calculate required adjustments, and actuators to execute positioning commands automatically, achieving high precision while reducing the operational complexity burden on pilots and ground crew
Solution Approach 2:
The refueling boom system incorporates continuous feedback mechanisms where sensors monitor the relative position and orientation of the boom and receiver aircraft in real-time, feed this information to control processors, and automatically adjust boom positioning to maintain optimal alignment. This closed-loop feedback system achieves high precision alignment while the automation reduces operational complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A variety of refueling devices, systems and methods are disclosed for use in in-flight refueling. In one example one such device is towed by a tanker aircraft via a fuel hose at least during in-flight refueling, and has a boom member with a boom axis. The boom member enables fuel to be transferred from the fuel hose to a receiver aircraft along the boom axis during in-flight refueling. The device maintains a desired non-zero angular disposition between the boom axis and a forward direction at least when the refueling device is towed by the tanker aircraft in the forward direction via the fuel hose.