Automated Aerial Refueling Position Estimation Using a Scanning LiDAR

This research examines the application of using a scanning Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to perform Automated Aerial Refueling(AAR). This paper presents two algorithms to determine the relative position between the tanker and receiver aircraft. These two algorithms require a model of the tanker aircraft and the relative attitude between the aircraft. The first algorithm fits the measurements to the model of the aircraft using a modified Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm. The second algorithm uses the model to predict LiDAR scans and compare them to actual measurements while perturbing the estimated location of the tanker. Eight test flights involving a KC-135 and a Learjet as the surrogate receiver were conducted. The data collected from these test flights was used to determine the accuracy of the two algorithms with real LiDAR data. After correcting for modeling errors the accuracy of each algorithm has a Mean Radial Spherical Error of about 40cm. This accuracy is well within bounds to aid either the current GPS or vision methods of AAR.