Unmanned Autonomous Aerial Refueling Control Strategy Design and Test Evaluation

Autonomous aerial refueling could improve the range, endurance and deployment capability of UAV, and its control strategy is the key factor to ensuring the success of UAV aerial refueling. Hence, it is quite necessary and crucial to develop an effective control strategy for autonomous aerial refueling. In this paper, the research status of autonomous aerial refueling for UAV was firstly reviewed, and the differences between manned-aircraft and UAV in aerial refueling were also introduced. Then, a feasible design method of optimal route for autonomous aerial refueling was proposed in light of Dubins Curve. Furthermore, a control strategy of autonomous aerial refueling in the rendezvous and formation stage was raised, including the corresponding mission instructions and control laws. The strategy was both verified through simulation and flight test, which was designed and fulfilled by two small UAVs. The results showed that the proposed control strategy was reasonable and reliable, which would provide technical support for autonomous aerial refueling in the future.