Vision-Guided Autonomous Air-to-Air Refuelling Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air-to-air refuelling systems require active human intervention and dedicated equipment on both tanker and receiver aircraft, limiting autonomous refuelling operations to specific aircraft configurations and reducing operational flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A system on the receiver aircraft uses a vision system and image processing to identify the tanker's dispensing equipment and relative attitude, enabling autonomous control of the refuelling process by calculating flight parameters and aligning with the tanker aircraft without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If dedicated equipment is installed on both tanker and receiver aircraft for automated refuelling, then automation capability is improved, but device complexity and operational limitations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the image processing and control systems from the tanker aircraft and places them exclusively on the receiver aircraft. The receiver aircraft independently captures images of the dispensing equipment, processes them to determine relative position and attitude, and controls its own approach and coupling operations, eliminating the need for complex dedicated equipment on the tanker aircraft.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver aircraft performs self-positioning and self-coupling operations by using its own vision system and image processing capabilities. The system independently identifies the dispensing equipment, calculates relative attitude and distance, and executes the approach and coupling maneuvers without requiring active intervention from the tanker aircraft or dedicated communication equipment on both sides.
2Ease of operation
If human intervention is required for approach and contact phases, then operational control is improved, but ease of operation and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control with an automated vision-based control system. The image processing system automatically tracks the dispensing equipment, calculates relative position and attitude parameters, and generates control commands for the flight control system, substituting the pilot's manual operations with automated image processing and control algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously captures images of the dispensing equipment, processes them to determine real-time relative position and attitude, and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the receiver aircraft's approach trajectory and coupling maneuvers, enabling precise autonomous operation without human intervention.
3Reliability
If standardized command and control messages are implemented between tanker and receiver, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity and adaptability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an image-based visual intermediary system that replaces direct radio communication between tanker and receiver aircraft. The receiver aircraft captures images of the dispensing equipment and uses image processing to extract position and attitude information, serving as a universal intermediary that works across different aircraft types without requiring standardized communication protocols.
Data Source
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AI summary
System and method for autonomous air-to-air refuelling of an aircraft arranged on the receiver aircraft (1), comprising: - a vision system for capturing images of the receiver aircraft (1) comprising the fuel receiving equipment (3) and of the tanker aircraft (2) comprising the dispensing equipment (4), - an image processing system for receiving and processing said images to identify the shape of the fuel receiving equipment (3), the fuel dispensing equipment (4) and the contour of the tanker aircraft (2) and for calculating the distance between the fuel dispensing equipment (4) and the fuel receiving equipment (3) and the relative attitude of the tanker aircraft (2), - a receiver aircraft positioning system for varying, based on the distance between the fuel receiving equipment (3) and the fuel dispensing equipment (4) and the relative attitude of the tanker aircraft (2), flight parameters of the receiver aircraft (1).