An aircraft formation autopilot is designed for flight test to demonstrate autonomous aerial refueling 1,2 . The controller requirements are stated, and models for the lead and wing aircraft are outlined and stabilized. Control laws are developed for the model, and four frames of reference are investigated for optimal control. Next, a simulation is constructed with modeled disturbances to produce the real-time inputs that will be available to the controller. Results from simulations of the controller are presented and assessed, including an exploration of sensitivity and robustness. Finally, results are presented from a limited flight test investigation conducted with a formation of an Air Force C-12 and a variable stability Learjet LJ-25, flown by the controller. Fully autonomous aerial refueling maneuvers were successfully demonstrated in both level and turning flight. Finally, conclusions and lessons learned from the flight test and the controller development are presented.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.