Refueling Boom 3D Collision Guidance for Receiver Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-to-air refueling systems face challenges in accurately guiding the refueling boom to avoid collisions with the receiving aircraft due to limited visibility and reliance on manual control, which can lead to potential contact and operational risks.
Innovation Solution
A boom guidance system utilizing a geometric segmentation collision avoidance methodology, employing sensors and an electronic control unit (ECU) to map 3D models of the receiver and boom, compute Euclidean radial distances, and execute flight control operations to prevent collisions by predicting and adjusting the boom's trajectory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual control is used to guide the refueling boom, then operational flexibility is maintained, but collision avoidance precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary automated control system that acts as a mediator between the operator and the boom. The system uses sensors to detect the receiver aircraft's position and the boom's trajectory, processes this data through algorithms, and automatically adjusts boom control surfaces to prevent collisions, thereby improving precision without requiring full automation of the entire refueling process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control with an automated electronic control system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators. The system substitutes human judgment and reaction with automated detection and control algorithms, enabling more precise collision avoidance while maintaining operational flexibility through programmable logic
2Loss of information
If the boom operators rely on live video feed from cameras, then real-time monitoring is achieved, but visibility and spatial awareness are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor inputs (cameras, range finders, GPS, inertial sensors) into a unified automated control system. By combining these diverse data sources, the system reconstructs complete spatial information about the receiver aircraft's position, orientation, and velocity, as well as the boom's trajectory, eliminating the information loss inherent in single-camera video feeds
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy or virtual model of the physical refueling scene using sensor data. The system processes raw sensor inputs to generate accurate representations of the receiver aircraft's 3D position, attitude, and motion, as well as the boom's configuration, enabling precise collision prediction and avoidance without relying solely on operator interpretation of video images
3Reliability
If automated control is implemented to guide the boom, then collision avoidance improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the refueling control system into distinct functional modules: sensor subsystems for detection, processing subsystems for data analysis and collision prediction, and actuator subsystems for boom control. This modular segmentation improves reliability by isolating functions and enabling independent testing and maintenance, while managing complexity through clear interface definitions between modules
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements closed-loop feedback control where sensors continuously monitor the boom's position and the receiver aircraft's motion, the system predicts potential collisions based on this feedback, and automatic adjustments are made to boom control surfaces. This feedback mechanism enhances reliability by continuously adapting to changing conditions while maintaining manageable complexity through algorithmic control logic
Data Source
AI summary
A boom control system includes sensors that output sensor data indicative of a three-dimensional (3D) position of a receiver aircraft and a refueling boom in respective reference frames. An electronic control unit (ECU) reads a 3D model of the receiver from memory. The sensor data includes a 3D position of the receiver and boom in respective reference frames. The ECU maps points in the receiver reference frame to the boom reference frame as mapped points using the 3D model of the receiver and a linear model of the boom. The ECU computes Euclidian distances between each of the mapped points and each respective point on the boom, determines a minimum Euclidian distance, and executes a flight control operation of the boom in response to the minimum Euclidian radial distance being less than a threshold minimum distance.