A system and method for Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR) may combine unrelated capabilities to provide a high integrity solution to boom manipulation and insertion to couple with a receiver receptacle. Precise positioning systems on each aircraft coupled via data link provide a high integrity relative positioning solution generating a requisite integrity for positioning yet insufficient for boom insertion. High definition cameras onboard the tanker provide multi-wavelength remote vision digital images used to identify the boom fitting as well as the receptacle. Combined with boom position information from the tanker, the system determines pixel position inputs from stereo digital images to precisely identify the boom and receptacle and manipulate the boom to insert the boom fitting into the receptacle. Constant camera generated feedback and updated relative positioning alerts the system and disconnects the boom should the receiver aircraft stray outside the proper position.


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    Title :

    Relative navigation and machine vision for automated aerial refueling system and method


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2022-02-22


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    B64D Ausrüstung für Flugzeuge , EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT / G06T Bilddatenverarbeitung oder Bilddatenerzeugung allgemein , IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL



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