A system for monitoring the degradation status of refueling hoses on air includes a device with at least one sensor adapted to produce data about the external surface of the refueling hose. The method for monitoring the degradation status of refueling hoses on air includes moving a device with at least one sensor along a refueling hose or moving a refueling hose with respect to the device, producing data about the external surface of the refueling hose from the at least one sensor, and analyzing the data for monitoring the degradation status of the refueling hose. It allows providing a system and method for monitoring the degradation status of refueling hoses on air that reduces the risk of personal injury associated to hose damage inspection and is cost saving.

An airship and its long-term floating capacity maintenance method are disclosed. The airship includes an airship capsule and a pod at bottom. A renewable fuel cell and a water tank communicated with each other are arranged in the pod. The water tank is provided with a water inlet connected with a filling aircraft outside the airship. The airship capsule is provided with a solar cell. The interior of the airship capsule is provided with a hydrogen storage bag. The solar cell is electrically connected with the renewable fuel cell. The renewable fuel cell can use electric energy provided by the solar cell to electrolyze water provided by the filling aircraft into hydrogen and supplement the hydrogen to the hydrogen storage bag. The airship can supplement hydrogen to the airship capsule by electrolyzing water to reduce the phenomenon of insufficient gas in the airship capsule.

A situational awareness system for aerial refueling is disclosed. In embodiments, the situational awareness system may include one or more millimeter wave devices of a tanker aircraft configured to transmit one or more emitter signals toward an aircraft to be refueled, and receive one or more reflected signals reflected from the aircraft to be refueled. In embodiments, the situational awareness system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more millimeter wave devices and the display device, the controller configured to determine a distance between a refueling assembly of the tanker aircraft and the aircraft to be refueled based on the one or more reflected signals, and generate one or more control signals configured to cause a display substrate of a display device to display at least one of a metric or image indicative of the determined distance.

A situational awareness system for aerial refueling is disclosed. In embodiments, the situational awareness system may include one or more millimeter wave devices of a tanker aircraft configured to transmit one or more emitter signals toward an aircraft to be refueled, and receive one or more reflected signals reflected from the aircraft to be refueled. In embodiments, the situational awareness system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more millimeter wave devices and the display device, the controller configured to determine a distance between a refueling assembly of the tanker aircraft and the aircraft to be refueled based on the one or more reflected signals, and generate one or more control signals configured to cause a display substrate of a display device to display at least one of a metric or image indicative of the determined distance.

A fuel pump system for an aerial refueling system including: a variable displacement motor operable to be driven by a hydraulic fluid pressure; a fuel pump operable to be driven by the variable displacement motor; and a drive system controller (DSC) connected to the variable displacement motor, wherein the DSC is operable to direct an operation of the fuel pump in modes comprising: a flow control mode operable to maintain an output fuel flow rate from the fuel pump to a predetermined maximum inlet pressure at a reception coupling for a receiver aircraft; a fuel pressure control mode operable to regulate the output fuel flow rate to not exceed the predetermined maximum inlet pressure; and a priority mode operable to reduce the output fuel flow rate in response to a decrease in the hydraulic pressure. Also a method of refueling a receiver aircraft.

A method of operating a fuel tanker aircraft for in-flight fuelling comprises: transmitting a deploy command signal from a communication unit of the tanker aircraft to a communication unit of a fuel receiver aircraft, to cause a line and drogue to deploy from the receiver aircraft; controlling at least one of the tanker aircraft and the drogue to engage the drogue with a first end of a fuel hose of the tanker aircraft, a second end of the fuel hose being connected to the tanker aircraft; and transmitting a return command signal from the communication unit of the tanker aircraft to the communication unit of the receiver aircraft, to cause the line and drogue to return to the receiver aircraft with the first end of the fuel hose.

A method of operating a fuel tanker aircraft for in-flight fuelling comprises: transmitting a deploy command signal from a communication unit of the tanker aircraft to a communication unit of a fuel receiver aircraft, to cause a line and drogue to deploy from the receiver aircraft; controlling at least one of the tanker aircraft and the drogue to engage the drogue with a first end of a fuel hose of the tanker aircraft, a second end of the fuel hose being connected to the tanker aircraft; and transmitting a return command signal from the communication unit of the tanker aircraft to the communication unit of the receiver aircraft, to cause the line and drogue to return to the receiver aircraft with the first end of the fuel hose.

A boom pod with an adaptable user interface automatically reconfigures based on operation phase. Elements of the user interface may also be manually reconfigured based on operator preference. Operator reconfigurations may be recorded for use during similar phases in subsequent operations. A controller automatically records system status during a refueling operation and prepares a digital log entry. Portions of the use interface are dedicated to augmented displays to assist the operator at any given operational phase.

Described are systems and methods for magnetically assisted boom refueling. In certain examples, a magnetic refueling receiver is disclosed that includes a refueling receptacle configured to receive a portion of a refueling boom and a receptacle magnet disposed around at least a portion of a perimeter of the refueling receptacle. In another example, a magnetic refueling boom is disclosed that includes a refueling boom structure that includes a first end configured to be inserted into a refueling receiver and a pipe magnet disposed around at least a portion of a perimeter of the refueling boom structure.

A system and method for autonomous air-to-air refueling of an aircraft arranged on the receiver aircraft, including a vision system for capturing images of the receiver aircraft including the fuel receiving equipment and of the tanker aircraft comprising the dispensing equipment, an image processing system for receiving and processing the images to identify the shape of the fuel receiving equipment, the fuel dispensing equipment and the contour of the tanker aircraft and for calculating a distance between the fuel dispensing equipment and the fuel receiving equipment and the relative attitude of the tanker aircraft, a receiver aircraft positioning system for varying, based on the distance between the fuel receiving equipment and the fuel dispensing equipment and the relative attitude of the tanker aircraft, flight parameters of the receiver aircraft.