Title: Modelling and performance analysis of a machine vision-based semi-autonomous aerial refuelling

Authors: Mario Luca Fravolini, Giampiero Campa, Marcello R. Napolitano

Addresses: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettronica e dell'Informazione, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, Via G.Duranti No 93, Perugia 06125, Italy. ' Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6106, USA. ' Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6106, USA

Abstract: A critical aspect in the design of Semi-Autonomous Aerial Refuelling (SAAR) control schemes for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is the availability of accurate measurements of the relative UAV-Tanker distance and attitude. In this effort, the attention was focused on the development of an accurate modelling of the SAAR manoeuvre and on the development of a Machine Vision-based scheme for the estimation of the tanker-UAV relative pose. The developed MV scheme is based on markers installed on the surface of the tanker, and performs specific tasks as Feature Extraction, Feature Matching, and tanker-UAV relative Pose Estimation. The accuracy/robustness of the overall scheme was evaluated in the event of markers occlusion, in presence of inaccuracy in the positioning of the markers on the tanker aircraft, as a function of the level of attitude and GPS sensors| noise and as a function of the data Transmission Delay (TD) between aircrafts.

Keywords: unmanned aerial vehicles; UAVs; modelling; machine vision; sensors; feature extraction; feature matching; pose estimation; performance analysis; semi-autonomous aerial refuelling; refuelling control; tanker-UAV relative pose; tanker aircraft; markers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2008.020544

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2008 Vol.3 No.4, pp.357 - 367

Published online: 29 Sep 2008 *

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