Systems and methods for air vehicles

A method for controlling in-flight refueling of a receiver aircraft having a fuel receptacle, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a refueling device including a body having a longitudinal axis and configured for being towed by a tanker aircraft via a fuel hose at least during the in-flight refueling operation, and the refueling device further including a boom member having a boom axis, the refueling device being capable of engaging and refueling said receiver aircraft via the boom member;
• wherein the boom member is selectively pivotable with respect to the body between a first angular displacement and a second angular displacement different from the first angular displacement;
• (b) automatically steering the refueling device to an engagement enabling position, including:
• (i) repeatedly determining a spatial disposition of said refueling device with respect to the receiver aircraft when the device arrives to said engagement enabling position at which said boom member is in a predetermined spaced and spatial relationship with respect to the fuel receptacle of said receiver aircraft;
• (ii) repeatedly calculating steering commands based at least on the repeatedly determined spatial dispositions and characteristics of a spatial control system of the refueling device;
• and
• (iii) sending said steering commands to said spatial control system;
• (c) providing a first instruction to the refueling device, at or prior to the refueling device arriving at said engagement enabling position, for causing said boom member to be pivoted with respect to the body between said first angular displacement and said second angular displacement;
• and
• (d) providing a second instruction to the refueling device, when the refueling device arrives at said engagement enabling position, for causing the refueling device to move the boom member along a predetermined trajectory for automatically engaging with said fuel receptacle, and wherein the boom member is at said second angular displacement at least when the refueling device arrives at said engagement enabling position.

A method for controlling in-flight refueling of a receiver aircraft having a fuel receptacle, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a refueling device including a body having a longitudinal axis and configured for being towed by a tanker aircraft via a fuel hose at least during the in-flight refueling operation, and the refueling device further including a boom member having a boom axis, the refueling device being capable of engaging and refueling said receiver aircraft via the boom member;
• wherein the boom member is selectively pivotable with respect to the body between a first angular displacement and a second angular displacement different from the first angular displacement;
• (b) repeatedly calculating maneuvering instructions for said receiver aircraft based on spatial dispositions of said receiver aircraft and an engagement area specification until an engagement area specification condition is met;
• (c) in response to meeting said engagement area specification condition, automatically steering the refueling device to an engagement enabling position, including:
• (i) repeatedly determining a spatial disposition of said refueling device with respect to the receiver aircraft when the refueling device arrives to said engagement enabling position at which said boom member is in a predetermined spaced and spatial relationship with respect to the fuel receptacle of said receiver aircraft;
• (ii) repeatedly calculating steering commands based at least on the repeatedly determined spatial dispositions and characteristics of a spatial control system of the refueling device;
• and
• (iii) sending said steering commands to said spatial control system;
• (d) providing an instruction to the refueling device, at or prior to the refueling device arrives at said engagement enabling position, for causing said boom member to be pivoted with respect to the body between said first angular displacement and said second angular displacement;
• and
• (e) providing an instruction to the refueling device, in response to the refueling device arriving at said engagement enabling position, causing the refueling device to move the boom member in a predetermined trajectory for automatically engaging with said fuel receptacle, and wherein the boom member is at said second angular displacement at least when the refueling device arrives at said engagement enabling position.