Autonomous system for the aerial refueling or decontamination of unmanned airborne vehicles

• US 6,604,711 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2000
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cobham Mission Systems Davenport Lss Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sargent Fletcher, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Stevens, Paul, Sinha, Sach
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAKEL, KEVIN W
• Application Number:
  US09/716,099
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 244/115, 244/116, 244/161, 244/135.R, 244/135.A, 244/152
• US Class Current: 244/135.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 39/00 Refuelling during flight filling or emptying fuel tanks B64D37/14
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 39/02 Means for paying-in or out hose
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling

Abstract

A motor with a variable speed controller is used to operate a hose reel for connecting a fuel source or decontaminant on a tanker plane to a fuel tank or other receptor on an unmanned vehicle. The hose reel is controlled to feed the fuel or other liquid through the hose and a drogue to a receiving probe on the unmanned vehicle and is also controlled to maintain the drogue in proper position. This end result is achieved by means of a controlling transponder on the unmanned vehicle which receives radio control signals from a communicating transponder on the tanker. A microcomputer processes the received control signals which are then fed to the motor controller. The motor controller not only controls the positioning of the drogue but also controls the motor so that excess hose is reeled in by the hose reel. The controller in addition controls the thrust power. A lidar tracker with a miniature video camera maintains a line of sight between the drogue and the receiver probe and tracks the drogue-probe.

Claims

1. An autonomous system for controlling the aerial feeding of a liquid decontaminant to an unmanned aircraft for decontaminating said aircraft having a probe for receiving said liquid from a liquid supply aircraft, said liquid supply aircraft having a drogue for feeding said liquid to said probe comprising:

a hose for feeding said liquid to said drogue,

a reel on which said hose is wound,

a motor on the liquid supply aircraft for driving said reel,

means for generating a laser beam which is fed to the surface of said unmanned aircraft,

means for receiving a signal back from said unmanned aircraft surface indicating contamination,

a radio transponder on the unmanned aircraft,

a radio transponder on the liquid supply aircraft for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the transponder on the unmanned aircraft, the signals received from the unmanned aircraft indicating the relative positions between the two aircraft, and

computer means on the liquid supply aircraft for processing the signals received by the transponder on the fueling aircraft and generating control signals for controlling the positioning of the drogue relative to the probe on the hose reel.

2. The system of claim 1 and further including a motor controller responsive to the control signals generated by said computer means for controlling the reel drive motor to reel in any excess hose.

3. The system of claim 1 and further including a lidar tracker for maintaining line of sight between the drogue and probe, said lidar tracker being connected to said computer for operation in conjunction therewith.

4. The system of claim 1 and further including a spray nozzle for spraying the unmanned aircraft.

5. The system of claim 1 and further including means for controlling the motion of the drogue comprising a plurality of thrust nozzles mounted on the base of the drogue.

6. The system of claim 1 and further including means for controlling the motion of the drogue comprising lifting control surfaces on the drogue.

7. A method for autonomously controlling the aerial feeding of a decontaminant liquid to an unmanned aircraft having a probe for receiving said liquid from a liquid supply aircraft, said liquid supply aircraft having a drogue for feeding liquid to said probe comprising the steps of:

generating a laser beam,

feeding said laser beam to the surface of the unmanned aircraft,

receiving a signal back from said surface indicating contamination,

feeding said liquid to said drogue through a hose,

winding said hose on a reel,

driving said reel into said drogue,

transmitting signals between a radio transponder on said unmanned aircraft and a transponder on said liquid supply aircraft, said signals indicating the relative positions between the two aircraft, and

processing the signals received by the liquid supply aircraft and generating control signals for controlling the positioning of the drogue relative to the probe and the hose reel.

8. The method of claim 7 and further including the step of reeling in any excess hose.