Vision-Based Air-to-Air Refueling for Autonomous Receiver Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current air-to-air refueling systems require human intervention for precise positioning and control during refueling operations, limiting the ability to perform fully autonomous refueling and restricting the compatibility between tanker and receiver aircraft.
Innovation Solution
A system on the receiver aircraft featuring a vision system and image processing system to capture and analyze the tanker aircraft's dispensing equipment and the receiver's receiving equipment, calculating their relative position and attitude, allowing autonomous control of the refueling process, including alignment, contact, and disconnection, and enabling independent operation from the tanker aircraft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If human intervention is used for positioning and control during refueling operations, then positioning precision and control accuracy are improved, but pilot workload increases and autonomous operation capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver aircraft autonomously performs refueling operations by independently capturing images of the tanker aircraft and dispensing equipment, processing these images to determine relative position and attitude, and automatically controlling flight parameters without human intervention. The system serves itself by integrating vision systems and image processing capabilities directly on the receiver aircraft.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control with an automated vision-based control system. Instead of pilots manually positioning the aircraft, the system uses vision systems to capture images, processes these images to calculate relative position and attitude, and automatically adjusts flight parameters, substituting human mechanical control with automated optical-mechanical control.
2Extent of automation
If dedicated equipment is installed on both tanker and receiver aircraft for automated refueling, then automation capability is improved, but device complexity and compatibility requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vision system and image processing system installed on the receiver aircraft serve multiple functions: capturing images of the tanker aircraft, identifying dispensing equipment, calculating relative position and attitude, and controlling refueling operations. This multi-functional system reduces the need for separate dedicated equipment on both aircraft, simplifying overall system complexity while maintaining automation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the automation capability from requiring equipment on both aircraft and concentrates it on the receiver aircraft alone. By placing the vision system and image processing system only on the receiver aircraft, the system eliminates the need for corresponding dedicated equipment on the tanker aircraft, reducing overall device complexity and improving compatibility.
3Reliability
If precise positioning and control during refueling is performed manually, then refueling safety is improved, but operational efficiency and speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously captures images of the tanker aircraft and dispensing equipment, processes these images to determine real-time relative position and attitude, and uses this feedback to automatically adjust flight parameters. This closed-loop feedback control maintains refueling safety through precise positioning while improving operational efficiency by eliminating manual intervention delays.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for autonomous air-to-air refueling of an aircraft arranged on the receiver aircraft, including a vision system for capturing images of the receiver aircraft including the fuel receiving equipment and of the tanker aircraft comprising the dispensing equipment, an image processing system for receiving and processing the images to identify the shape of the fuel receiving equipment, the fuel dispensing equipment and the contour of the tanker aircraft and for calculating a distance between the fuel dispensing equipment and the fuel receiving equipment and the relative attitude of the tanker aircraft, a receiver aircraft positioning system for varying, based on the distance between the fuel receiving equipment and the fuel dispensing equipment and the relative attitude of the tanker aircraft, flight parameters of the receiver aircraft.