Towed Refueling Boom Control for Precise In-Flight Alignment
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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 flight.
Innovation Solution
A refueling device and method that includes a boom member with a spatial control system, allowing for automatic steering to an engagement enabling position by determining spatial dispositions and sending steering commands, enabling precise alignment and engagement with the receiver aircraft's fuel receptacle, even when towed by a tanker aircraft via a fuel hose.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a manual boom and receptacle system is used for airborne refueling, then the refueling process can be completed, but the precision and control in aligning the boom with the receiver aircraft's receptacle deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment operations with an automated control system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators to precisely position the boom relative to the receiver aircraft's receptacle. The system automatically calculates spatial dispositions and generates steering commands, eliminating the need for manual pilot control and significantly improving alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The refueling system performs self-alignment through automated control surfaces and steering mechanisms that respond to spatial disposition data. The system independently determines its position relative to the receptacle and autonomously adjusts the boom orientation without requiring external manual intervention, thereby maintaining high precision while reducing operational complexity.
2Productivity
If a single boom system is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity in refueling multiple aircraft simultaneously deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the refueling system into multiple independent boom assemblies, each capable of operating separately to service different receiver aircraft. This segmentation allows simultaneous refueling of multiple aircraft while keeping each individual boom unit relatively simple in design, thereby increasing productivity without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The boom system is designed with universal capabilities to service multiple types of receiver aircraft through standardized receptacle interfaces and adaptable control algorithms. Each boom can be dynamically repositioned and configured to accommodate different aircraft configurations, enabling a single multi-functional system to replace multiple specialized systems.
3Measurement precision
If the boom is actively controlled during refueling, then the alignment precision is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to continuous pilot intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual pilot control of the boom with an automated control system that uses spatial sensors, processors, and actuators to precisely position and maintain boom alignment with the receptacle. This automation achieves superior alignment precision while eliminating the need for continuous pilot intervention, thereby reducing operational complexity and pilot workload.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors spatial disposition between the boom and receptacle using sensors and feedback mechanisms, automatically adjusting boom position and orientation in real-time to maintain optimal alignment. This closed-loop feedback control ensures high precision alignment while operating autonomously without requiring pilot input.
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.