1 / 16

Flight Research

Flight Research. Calspan In-Flight Simulation Projects SAE Presentation Oct 2008 Learjet – Automated Aerial Refueling Learjet – Sense & Avoid Flight Test. AAR Sponsored by AFRL Other Major Participating Organizations: NAVAIR, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Rockwell Collins, Titan

umberto-potter
Download Presentation

Flight Research

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Flight Research Calspan In-Flight Simulation ProjectsSAE PresentationOct 2008Learjet – Automated Aerial Refueling Learjet – Sense & Avoid Flight Test

  2. AAR Sponsored by AFRL Other Major Participating Organizations: NAVAIR, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Rockwell Collins, Titan Utilizing Learjet as “surrogate” UAV to host sensors & control systems Objectives: Clear Learjet to operate in refueling position around KC-135 No actual hook-up Gather PGPS data Evaluate acceptability of sensors PGPS & Datalink (TTNT) Installed & Checkout Servo-Throttle in LJ Evaluate control laws for automated refueling - Station Keeping Hold relative Tanker-to-LJ positions at engage Straight & Level 30º Banked Turns & Racetracks Evaluate Autonomous trajectory control Between Observation, Pre-Contact, Contact, Breakaway Done 2004 Done 2005 Done 2007 In 2009 Learjet Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR) Done 2006 Evaluate Redundancies & Contingencies

  3. Learjet AAR • Initial Test Flight Tests: • Sep 2004 • At Niagara Falls with 107th ANG KC-135 • Cleared LJ to operate with KC-135 • Gathered data for PGPS & EO sensors • 8 flights, 12 Flt-Hrs • Second Flight Test: • Sep 2005 • At NAWCWD China Lake, CA • Datalink tests • Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) • Checked out Servo -Throttle • 7 Flights, 10 Flt-Hrs

  4. Learjet AAR • Third Flight Test: • Jul/Aug 2006 • At Niagara Falls with 107th ANG KC-135 • Very efficient operations • Dedicated aircraft / crews / facilities • AUTONOMOUS Station-Keeping • Safety Pilot flew to various refueling positions, then engaged simulation • AAR GPS-based Control Laws in Boeing Flight Control Computer - FCC • FCC interfaced with Learjet VSS through sensors & commands to control elevator, aileron, rudder, throttle. • Held relative Tanker-to-LJ engaged positions - VERY precise • Straight & Level, 30º Banked Turns, & Racetrack patterns • Light to Moderate Turbulence • Gathered IR Camera data for “Hybrid” system • Flew 20 Flights, 30 Flt-Hrs

  5. Learjet AAR • Fourth Flight Test: • Jul/Sep 2007 • At Niagara Falls with 107th ANG KC-135 • AUTONOMOUS Transitions and Station-Keeping • Safety Pilot flew to Transition Point (1500 ft in trail), then engaged simulation for remainder of flight. • AAR Control Laws flew transitions between positions: • Initiated by test engineer. • Autonomous Transitions during: • Straight & Level, 30º Banked Turns, & Racetrack patterns • Station Keeping at all positions • Flew 19 Flights, 32 Flt-Hrs: • On one flight: stayed engaged 75 minutes, >20 minutes at Contact

  6. Learjet AAR • Fifth Flight Test: • July 2009 • At Forbes Field, KS with 190th Kansas ANG KC-135 • Test of AAR RELNAV system redundancy and contingencies • Multiple TTNT datalinks in Tanker. • Multiple INS/GPS systems in Learjet Surrogate Receiver. • Safety Pilots will manually fly all refueling positions. • Fly ~ 10 Flights, 20 Flt-Hrs

  7. Learjet AAR Positions Around Tanker

  8. Learjet AAR Positions Around Tanker

  9. Learjet AAR LJ in Contact Position in Turn

  10. Learjet AAR LJ Test Engineer Control/Display LJ Pilots’ View

  11. NON-COOPERATIVE • Detect with Cameras • COOPERATIVE • TCAS or Mode-C • Detectable • Coordinated Collision Avoidance Learjet Sense & Avoid Flight Test • UAV Sense & Avoid in National Air Space. • Autonomously Detect and Avoid intruder aircraft in terminal environment. • Cooperative & Non-Cooperative Intruders • Equivalent Level-of-Safety as piloted operations. • Equivalent Level-of-Behavior as piloted operations.

  12. Learjet Sense & Avoid Flight Test • AFRL – Sponsor • Northrop Grumman (NGC) – Prime contractor • Calspan – Installations and Flight Test in Learjet • Simulate UAV (Global Hawk-like) dynamics • Backup Intruder (LJ3 & LJ4) • Defense Research Associates (DRA) – Camera system, detector, tracker • Bihrle – Provides avoidance software • FAA – Provides “Intruders” (Convair-580 & King Air) & ADS-B • ICx – Provides radar (AI-130 used in helos for tower & cable detection) • Cooperative Intruder (TCAS-II and ADS-B Equipped) • Utilizes Resolution Advisory (RA) commands • Non-Cooperative Intruder (No transponders, Uses only cameras) • EO 3-Camera System • Radar • Intrusion Scenarios: • One & Two Intruder scenarios: Level head-on, cross-track, climb/descend head-on, overtake, cross-track.

  13. Learjet Sense & Avoid Flight Test • Phase I • Oct ‘07 – Jan ‘07, 22 Flights – 39 Hours • Used EO cameras and IR cameras • Phase II • Apr/May ‘08, Nov ‘08, Apr ‘09 • Using Radar data fused with EO Camera data. • Radar provides better range data than cameras. • Improved detection and false alarm rejection. • Phase III • Later in 2009 • Will use a new prototype Global Hawk SAA radar to replace ICx AI-130.

  14. Learjet Sense & Avoid Flight Test Typical Multiple Intrusion Scenarios King Air is 0.2 nm beyond Learjet when Learjet crosses CPA 0.2 nm 0.2 nm  0.5 nm  0.5 nm 0.5 nm Learjet: 150 KIAS King Air: 150 KIAS Convair: 150 KIAS

  15. Learjet Sense & Avoid Flight Test Modified LJ Radome with EO 3-Camera & ICx Radar Installation

  16. Learjet Sense & Avoid Flight Test

More Related