Bionic Visual Navigation for Wind-Disturbed Aerial Refueling Docking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional navigation methods for autonomous aerial refueling, such as inertial and GPS systems, face challenges in achieving accurate and stable close-range navigation and control during the docking stage of probe-and-drogue refueling due to multi-wind disturbances, leading to errors and inefficiencies in relative position control between the UAV and the drogue.
Innovation Solution
A bionic visual navigation control system is developed, incorporating a tanker/receiver bottom layer control module, multi-wind disturbances hose-drogue stable control module, enable and select module, close-range bionic vision relative navigation module, and receiver relative position precise control module, utilizing visual navigation to enhance accuracy and stability by extracting feature points from images and employing PID controllers for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If conventional inertial navigation systems are used for autonomous aerial refueling, then the system can provide continuous navigation data, but the navigation accuracy deteriorates over time due to error accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines inertial navigation system with visual navigation system to form a hybrid navigation system. The inertial system provides continuous navigation data while the visual system corrects accumulated errors, achieving both continuous operation and maintained accuracy throughout the refueling process
Solution Approach 2:
The visual navigation system provides feedback to correct the error accumulation of the inertial system. By continuously comparing visual position data with inertial navigation data, the system can detect and compensate for drift, maintaining navigation accuracy over extended periods
2Ease of operation
If GPS technology is used for autonomous aerial refueling, then the system is convenient to use, but the accuracy and anti-interference ability deteriorate due to reliance on satellites
Solution Approach 1:
The visual navigation system acts as an intermediary that reduces dependence on satellite signals. By using visual feature points on the drogue for position and attitude determination, the system can operate independently of GPS, improving anti-interference ability while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from relying on satellite-based GPS parameters to using visual parameters extracted from drogue images. This parameter change enables the system to maintain convenience while achieving superior anti-interference capability through local visual features rather than external satellite signals
3Quantity of substance
If conventional navigation methods are used during the docking stage, then the system can provide navigation data, but the close-range relative navigation accuracy deteriorates due to multi-wind disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional inertial and GPS navigation methods with a visual navigation system that uses image processing to extract drogue position and attitude information. This substitution provides more accurate close-range navigation data that is less susceptible to wind disturbances, enabling precise docking control
Solution Approach 2:
The visual navigation system uses color-based feature point extraction from the drogue to determine position and attitude. By tracking visual features that remain stable under wind disturbances, the system achieves accurate close-range navigation without being affected by mechanical vibrations or atmospheric turbulence
4Device complexity
If the same control law is used for all stages of autonomous aerial refueling, then the control system is simple to implement, but the control precision deteriorates because different stages have different control objectives
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts control laws based on the current stage of autonomous aerial refueling. Different control objectives for rendezvous, docking, and separation stages are addressed by switching between appropriate control laws, achieving high precision control while maintaining reasonable system complexity through staged control strategies
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system improves the accuracy and reliability of close-range navigation and control during the docking stage, effectively reducing the impact of wind disturbances and enhancing the autonomy of UAVs by using visual navigation to achieve precise pose measurement and position control.
Implementation Method 1
The visual navigation technology extracts the feature points of the target through image processing to perform pose measurement, thereby providing guidance information for the UAV
Implementation Method 2
employing PID controllers for precise control
Data Source
AI summary
A bionic visual navigation control system for autonomous aerial refueling docking includes: a tanker/receiver bottom layer control module, a multi-wind disturbances hose-drogue stable control module, an enable and select module, a close-range bionic vision relative navigation module, and a receiver relative position precise control module. A bionic visual navigation control method for autonomous aerial refueling docking is also provided. The present invention aims at improving the reliability, anti-interference and accuracy of the close-range relative navigation in the autonomous air refueling docking stage, and designs a matching relative position accurate control method with control switch, thereby improving the accuracy of close-range navigation and control, thereby promoting the successful realization of probe-and-drogue autonomous aerial refueling and improving the autonomy of UAVs.