Development of A New Helicopter Aerial Refueling System

与位于安大略省桑德贝的荒野北方集团公司合作，NSERC联盟赠款项目的目标是开发用于直升机空中加油(HAR)的新技术和智能工具，用于商业应用，如飞行探索和无限搜索和救援。HAR在一般任务中具有明显的优势，例如：1)携带额外的有效载荷，如人员或货物；2)延长搜索和救援任务；3)通过携带更少的燃料来降低成本。与使用快速和超级加油机的军用HAR不同，开发的HAR系统将使用一种多用途、廉价的加油机FuelBoss AT-802。为了实现这一目标，将在多学科领域进行先进的研究和开发。具体项目包括：1)将为FuelBoss加油机开发一种新的加油吊舱和控制系统，该系统可以处理由于高度和水头损失而可能造成的泵送损失；2)将提出新的技术来模拟HAR系统和软管-液管空中加油系统；3)将开发智能传感器数据采集系统，用于以GPS、振动、力等形式进行HAR建模和控制；以及4)将开发智能控制系统，以根据不同的气动飞行条件自适应地操纵空中液管，以提高液力稳定性。开发的HAR将在直升机加油方面产生一种革命性的解决方案，其简化的设计非常适合更好地匹配直升机的速度和体积要求，并结合较低的尾流湍流。它将为加拿大皇家空军提供一个动态的HAR解决方案，在加拿大北部和北极进行无限制的战斗机巡逻，而不完全依赖美国空军的空中加油支持。

In collaboration with Wilderness North Group of Companies in Thunder Bay, Ontario, the objective of this proposed NSERC Alliance Grant project is to develop new technology and intelligent tools for Helicopter Aerial Refueling (HAR), used for commercial applications such as in-fly exploration, and unlimited search and rescue. HAR has clear advantages in general missions such as: 1) to carry extra payloads such as personnel or cargo, 2) to extend search and rescue missions, and 3) to reduce costs by carrying less fuel. Different from military HAR that uses fast and super tankers, the developed HAR system will use a multi-purpose and cheap tanker aircraft, FuelBoss AT-802. To achieve this goal, advanced research and development will be undertaken in multidisciplinary fields. Specific projects include the following: 1) a new refueling pod and control system will be developed for the FuelBoss tanker, which can handle possible pumping losses due to the altitude and head losses; 2) New techniques will be proposed to model the HAR system and the hose-drogue aerial refueling system; 3) Smart sensor data acquisition systems will be developed for wireless data acquisition in the form of GPS, vibration, force, etc. for HAR modeling and control; and 4) An intelligent control system will be developed to adaptively manipulate the aerial drogue corresponding to different aerodynamic flight conditions to improve drogue stability. The developed HAR will generate a revolutionary solution in helicopter refueling, with a simplistic design ideal for a better match to helicopter speeds and volume requirements, combined with lower wake turbulence. It will provide a dynamic HAR solution to the Royal Canadian Air Force for unlimited fighter patrols throughout Canada's North and the Arctic without fully relying on aerial refueling support from the US Air Force.