Project description
The HOSE AND DROGUE project, executed from 15/10/2018 to 28/02/2020, focuses on aerial refueling using a Hose-and-Drogue system. Currently, refueling is performed passively from the tanker aircraft, where only hose tension is monitored to prevent wave formation that could damage the receiver. Contact is entirely manual, relying on the receiver pilot's skills. A significant challenge is the movement of the drogue caused by atmospheric turbulence and flow field modifications due to the receiver's proximity. These factors complicate the maneuver, prolong refueling times, and affect operational safety, reliability, and costs.
To address these issues, the ACTIVE HOSE REFUELING project explores techniques to improve control during aerial refueling, aiming to eliminate associated risks.
The project's objective is to develop the ability to introduce controlled aerodynamic loads at the hose's end within the AAR system. This would stabilize the hose actively and counteract turbulence-induced or flow-modification-induced movements by the receiver, enhancing safety and reliability.
To achieve this ambitious goal, Airbus DS must address the following technological challenges:
- Conducting analyses and simulations of hose oscillations during aerial refueling.
- Developing control laws to minimize drogue displacements and prevent undesired contact between the tanker and receiver.
The project, based in Getafe, has a budget of €663,778 and is partially funded by Feder Funds through CDTI.