Systems and methods for air vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017166319-A1
Application number	US-201615279737-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 4, 2012
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for controlling in-flight refueling of a receiver aircraft having a fuel receptacle, comprising: automatically steering a refueling device to an engagement enabling position, including: repeatedly determining a spatial disposition of the refueling device with respect to the receiver aircraft, the refueling device being capable of engaging and refueling the receiver aircraft via a boom member, when the device arrives to the engagement enabling position at which the boom member is in a predetermined spaced and spatial relationship with respect to the fuel receptacle of the receiver aircraft; repeatedly calculating steering commands based at least on the repeatedly determined spatial dispositions and characteristics of a spatial control system of the refueling device; sending the steering commands to the spatial control system; whereby at the engagement enabling position, the boom member of the refueling device is capable of engaging with the fuel receptacle to enable refueling of the receiver aircraft.

First claim

1 - 40 . (canceled)

41 . A method for controlling in-flight refueling of a receiver aircraft having a fuel receptacle, the method comprising:
providing a refueling device including a body having a longitudinal axis and configured for being towed by a tanker aircraft via a fuel hose at least during the in-flight refueling operation, the refueling device further including a boom member having a boom axis, the refueling device being capable of engaging and refueling said receiver aircraft via the boom member; wherein the boom member is selectively pivotable with respect to the body between a first angular displacement and a second angular displacement different from the first angular displacement; automatically steering the refueling device to an engagement enabling position, including:
(i) repeatedly determining a spatial disposition of said refueling device with respect to the receiver aircraft when the device arrives to said engagement enabling position at which said boom member is in a predetermined spaced and spatial relationship with respect to the fuel receptacle of said receiver aircraft;
(ii) repeatedly calculating steering commands based at least on the repeatedly determined spatial dispositions and characteristics of a spatial control system of the refueling device; and
(iii) sending said steering commands to said spatial control system;
wherein prior to or at said engagement enabling position said boom member is pivoted with respect to the body between said first angular displacement and said second angular displacement; whereby at said engagement enabling position, the boom member is at said second angular displacement, and the boom member of said refueling device is capable of engaging with said fuel receptacle to enable refueling of said receiver aircraft.

42 . The method according to claim 41 , further comprising providing an instruction to the refueling device, in response to the refueling device arriving at said engagement enabling position, causing the refueling device to move the boom member in a predetermined trajectory for automatically engaging with said fuel receptacle.

43 . The method according to claim 42 , wherein the boom member has a boom axis and wherein at least a final part of said predetermined trajectory is parallel to the boom axis.

44 . The method according to claim 41 , further comprising:
determining an engagement area specification condition; repeatedly calculating maneuvering instructions for said receiver aircraft based on said spatial dispositions and an engagement area specification; and invoking said automatically steering in response to meeting said engagement area specification condition.

45 . The method according to claim 44 , further comprising providing said maneuvering instructions to at least one of a pilot of said receiver aircraft or a pilot of a tanker aircraft.

46 . The method according to claim 41 , wherein said spatial control system characteristics are related to operation parameters of aero-dynamic control surfaces of the refueling device.

47 . The method according to claim 46 , wherein said aero-dynamic control surfaces are one or more vanes.

48 . The method according to claim 42 , wherein said automatically steering and said automatically engaging are performed autonomously by the refueling device.

49 . The method according to claim 41 , wherein said second angular displacement is about 30°.

50 . A method for controlling in-flight refueling of a receiver aircraft having a fuel receptacle, the method comprising:
(a) providing a refueling device including a body having a longitudinal axis and configured for being towed by a tanker aircraft via a fuel hose at least during the in-flight refueling operation, and the refueling device further including a boom member having a boom axis, the refueling device being capable of engaging and refueling said receiver aircraft via the boom member; wherein the boom member is selectively pivotable with respect to the body between a first angular displacement and a second angular displacement different from the first angular displacement; (b) automatically steering the refueling device to an engagement enabling position, including:
(i) repeatedly determining a spatial disposition of said refueling device with respect to the receiver aircraft when the device arrives to said engagement enabling position at which said boom member is in a predetermined spaced and spatial relationship with respect to the fuel receptacle of said receiver aircraft;
(ii) repeatedly calculating steering commands based at least on the repeatedly determined spatial dispositions and characteristics of a spatial control system of the refueling device; and
(iii) sending said steering commands to said spatial control system;
(c) providing a first instruction to the refueling device, at or prior to the refueling device arriving at said engagement enabling position, for causing said boom member to be pivoted with respect to the body between said first angular displacement and said second angular displacement; and (d) providing a second instruction to the refueling device, when the refueling device arrives at said engagement enabling position, for causing the refueling device to move the boom member along a predetermined trajectory for automatically engaging with said fuel receptacle, and wherein the boom member is at said second angular displacement at least when the refueling device arrives at said engagement enabling position.

51 . The method according to claim 50 , wherein said second angular displacement is about 30°.

52 . A method for controlling in-flight refueling of a receiver aircraft having a fuel receptacle, the method comprising:
(a) providing a refueling device including a body having a longitudinal axis and configured for being towed by a tanker aircraft via a fuel hose at least during the in-flight refueling operation, and the refueling device further including a boom member having a boom axis, the refueling device being capable of engaging and refueling said receiver aircraft via the boom member; wherein the boom member is selectively pivotable with respect to the body between a first angular displacement and a second angular displacement different from the first angular displacement; (b) repeatedly calculating maneuvering instructions for said receiver aircraft based on spatial dispositions of said receiver aircraft and an engagement area specification until an engagement area specification condition is met; (c) in response to meeting said engagement area specification condition, automatically steering the refueling device to an engagement enabling position, including:
(i) repeatedly determining a spatial disposition of said refueling device with respect to the receiver aircraft when the refueling device arrives to said engagement enabling position at which said boom member is in a predetermined spaced and spatial relationship with respect to the fuel receptacle of said receiver aircraft;
(ii) repeatedly calculating steering commands based at least on the repeatedly determined spatial dispositions and characteristics of a spatial control system of the refueling device; and
(iii) sending said steering commands to said spatial control system;
(d) providing an instruction to the refueling device, at or prior to the refueling device arrives at said engagement enabling position, for causing said boom member to be pivoted with respect to the body between said first angular displacement and said second angular displacement; and (e) providing an instruction to the refueling device, in response to the refueling device arriving at said engagement enabling positio

Assignees

• Israel Aerospace Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Rix Ohad

Classifications

• B64D39/00

  Refuelling during flight · CPC title

• B64D39/04

  Adaptations of hose construction · CPC title

• G05D1/101

  specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title

• B64D3/00

  Aircraft adaptations to facilitate towing or being towed · CPC title

• B64D39/06 Primary

  Connecting hose to aircraft; Disconnecting hose therefrom · CPC title