Towards docking safety analysis for unmanned aerial vehicle probe-drogue autonomous aerial refueling based on docking success-probability and docking reachability

Abstract

Docking safety is a key problem during the docking phase of the unmanned aerial vehicle probe-drogue autonomous aerial refueling (UAV-PD-AAR). To solve this problem, a novel and effective method based on docking success-probability and docking reachability is presented in this paper. Firstly, by employing the location of the drogue with respect to the probe, a docking success-probability estimation algorithm is proposed to give the probe-drogue docking success-probability in real time, with UAV control and drogue attitude considered. Secondly, considering UAV longitudinal dynamics, a docking reachability calculation algorithm for docking reachable set is designed to ensure the UAV can safely reach the docking target set, by using Hamilton–Jacobi equation. Finally, the docking safety algorithm during the docking phase of UAV-PD-AAR is constructed, based on the estimated docking success-probability and the calculated docking reachability. The experiments of docking success-probability estimation and docking reachability calculation were conducted, which can be used towards docking safety analysis during the docking phase of UAV-PD-AAR.