Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Rendezvous for Automated Aerial Refueling PDF Download

Author: Brian S. Burns
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Drone aircraft
Languages : en
Pages : 162

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Author: Jacob Hinchman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Airplanes
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Briefing reports on multi-vehicle wind tunnel tests conducted by Bihrle to obtain interaction data between a KC-135 tanker and a UAV receiver. The data will be used to develop a refueling simulation to evaluate controllability and preliminary automated designs for UAV refueling. The briefing discusses use of this data with a combination of automatic refueling and collision avoidance. This is very preliminary data on interactions. It has military application for advanced UAV refueling.

Author: Nicholas S. Higgins
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 53

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Abstract: Autonomous Aerial Refueling of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV-AAR) has been determined to be possible through the development of an autonomous system with terminal guidance capabilities for a probe-and-drogue refueling configuration. An aircraft tanker and UAV were selected for analysis and determination of system constraints. The UAV's mechanics and performance characteristics were determined to understand the aircraft's stability and controllability characteristics. A hardware system necessary for autonomously docking the probe with the drogue was developed using colored light emitting diodes. The flow-field behind an aircraft tanker wing was analyzed to understand the effects of the wake acting on the aircraft to be refueled, and to determine where the pilot must initiate the terminal guidance system. From this analysis, it was determined that the UAV will enter the dangerous flow-field at about 175 feet behind the location of the drogue, approximately 250 feet from the tanker's wing. This area was named the terminal flight arena - the area in which the pilot can no longer control the UAV without a guidance system. Multiple fixed-flight paths for this flight arena were analyzed to determine changing forces acting on the UAV. Utilizing the determined performance characteristics, the control surface deflections necessary for steady flight through these fixed-flight paths were calculated. The best fixed-flight path for UAV-AAR was a path angled ten degrees below a horizontal path, which resulted in the most minimal change of control surface deflection throughout the terminal flight arena. The overall fixed-flight path control surface deflection analysis will be used to assist in developing a strategy for an autonomous system. The Dual-Optimal Path-Planning technique will be implemented for development of the autonomous system for terminal guidance. The technique will follow a given loop which will allow the UAV to fly within a predetermined window based on the UAV's maneuvering abilities, the locations of minimum induced force that will act on the UAV, the location and orientation of the drogue, and the quickest path for approach and a successful rendezvous.

Author: Kimon P. Valavanis
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402061145
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 552

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The past decade has seen tremendous interest in the production and refinement of unmanned aerial vehicles, both fixed-wing, such as airplanes and rotary-wing, such as helicopters and vertical takeoff and landing vehicles. This book provides a diversified survey of research and development on small and miniature unmanned aerial vehicles of both fixed and rotary wing designs. From historical background to proposed new applications, this is the most comprehensive reference yet.

Author: National Aeronautics and Space Adm Nasa
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781723767906
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 32

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The integration of uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) into controlled airspace has generated a new era of autonomous technologies and challenges. Autonomous aerial refueling would enable UAVs to travel further distances and loiter for extended periods over time-critical targets. The NASA Dryden Flight Research Center recently has completed a flight research project directed at developing a dynamic hose and drogue system model to support the development of an automated aerial refueling system. A systematic dynamic model of the hose and drogue system would include the effects of various influences on the system, such as flight condition, hose and drogue type, tanker type and weight, receiver type, and tanker and receiver maneuvering. Using two NASA F/A-18 aircraft and a conventional hose and drogue aerial refueling store from the Navy, NASA has obtained flight research data that document the response of the hose and drogue system to these effects. Preliminary results, salient trends, and important lessons are presentedHansen, Jennifer L. and Murray, James E. and Campos, Norma V.Armstrong Flight Research CenterAIR TO AIR REFUELING; DYNAMIC MODELS; AUTONOMY; F-18 AIRCRAFT; TIME DEPENDENCE

Author: Johann C. Dauer
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030831442
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 556

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This book investigates Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) with a payload capacity of one metric ton for transportation. The authors provide a large variety of perspectives–from economics to technical realization. With the focus on such heavy-lift cargo UAS, the authors consider recently established methods for approval and certification, which they expect to be disruptive for unmanned aviation. In particular, the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) and its impact on the presented technological solutions and operational concepts are studied. Starting with the assumption of an operation over sparsely populated areas and below common air traffic, diverse measures to further reduce operational risks are proposed. Operational concepts derived from logistics use-cases set the context for an in-depth analysis including aircraft and system design, safe autonomy as well as airspace integration and datalinks. Results from simulations and technology demonstrations are presented as a proof of concept for solutions proposed in this book.

Author: Management Association, Information Resources
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1522583661
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 581

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Book Description
First used in military applications, unmanned aerial vehicles are becoming an integral aspect of modern society and are expanding into the commercial, scientific, recreational, agricultural, and surveillance sectors. With the increasing use of these drones by government officials, business professionals, and civilians, more research is needed to understand their complexity both in design and function. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice is a critical source of academic knowledge on the design, construction, and maintenance of drones, as well as their applications across all aspects of society. Highlighting a range of pertinent topics such as intelligent systems, artificial intelligence, and situation awareness, this publication is an ideal reference source for military consultants, military personnel, business professionals, operation managers, surveillance companies, agriculturalists, policymakers, government officials, law enforcement, IT professionals, academicians, researchers, and graduate-level students.

Author: Jennifer Jones Kimmett
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 402

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Author: Jacob Hinchman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Airplanes
Languages : en
Pages : 22

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This presentation was prepared for the 2007 Aerial Refueling Systems Advisory Group (ARSAG) conference to update the status of the Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR) program at the Air Force Research Laboratory. The AAR technology suite has application to both manned and unmanned vehicles. For unmanned vehicles, AAR allows eliminates the tyranny of fuel, allowing unmanned vehicles to be based, deployed, and employed like manned systems. Furthermore as manned mission durations increase, aerial refueling becomes more and more strenuous on the pilot. AAR seeks to reduce the workload in cockpit and provide a in-weather refueling capability. Also, this technology allows manned or unmanned platforms to fly formation in IFR conditions.

Author: Victor Becerra
Publisher: MDPI
ISBN: 3039210300
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 476

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Book Description
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being increasingly used in different applications in both military and civilian domains. These applications include surveillance, reconnaissance, remote sensing, target acquisition, border patrol, infrastructure monitoring, aerial imaging, industrial inspection, and emergency medical aid. Vehicles that can be considered autonomous must be able to make decisions and react to events without direct intervention by humans. Although some UAVs are able to perform increasingly complex autonomous manoeuvres, most UAVs are not fully autonomous; instead, they are mostly operated remotely by humans. To make UAVs fully autonomous, many technological and algorithmic developments are still required. For instance, UAVs will need to improve their sensing of obstacles and subsequent avoidance. This becomes particularly important as autonomous UAVs start to operate in civilian airspaces that are occupied by other aircraft. The aim of this volume is to bring together the work of leading researchers and practitioners in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles with a common interest in their autonomy. The contributions that are part of this volume present key challenges associated with the autonomous control of unmanned aerial vehicles, and propose solution methodologies to address such challenges, analyse the proposed methodologies, and evaluate their performance.