The NASA Dryden Flight Test Approach to an Aerial Refueling System

ABSTRACT The integration of uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) into controlled airspace has generated a newera of autonomous technologies and challenges. Autonomous aerial refueling would enable UAVs totravel further distances and loiter for extended periods over time-critical targets. The NASA DrydenFlight Research Center recently has completed a flight research project directed at developing a dynamichose and drogue system model to support the development of an automated aerial refueling system.A systematic dynamic model of the hose and drogue system would include the effects of variousinfluences on the system, such as flight condition, hose and drogue type, tanker type and weight, receivertype, and tanker and receiver maneuvering. Using two NASA F/A-18 aircraft and a conventional hoseand drogue aerial refueling store from the Navy, NASA has obtained flight research data that documentthe response of the hose and drogue system to these effects. Preliminary results, salient trends, andimportant lessons are presented.