基于视觉的空中加油定位技术研究

A Review on Visual Localization for Aerial Refueling

摘要:

空中加油作为增加飞行器续航能力的一种有效手段，正受到越来越多的关注和研究，而具有低成本、无源性等优点的视觉导航技术为自动空中加油的实现提供了可靠的解决方案。首先介绍了空中加油的基本概念，包括软、硬两种不同方式以及从交会到脱离的过程；然后以加油锥套、受油接口、飞行器机体三种不同的研究主体为切入点，梳理了针对自动空中加油问题的视觉定位解决方案，着重阐述了其中基于视觉的检测跟踪和位姿估计过程，总结了其中可用的视觉定位算法；最后讨论了当前该领域待解决的问题，并展望未来的研究方向。

Abstract:

Aerial refueling, as an effective means to increase the flight endurance of aircraft, is attracting more and more attention and research. Visual navigation, with its advantages of low cost and passivity, provides a reliable solution for autonomous aerial refueling. Firstly, the basic concept of aerial refueling is introduced, including the two different methods, which are probe-and-drogue refueling (PDR) and boom-and-receptacle refueling (BRR), and the overall process from rendezvous to separation. Then, from the perspectives of the refueling drogue, receptacle, and aircraft body, the visual localization solutions for autonomous aerial refueling are reviewed. The processes of detection, tracking, and pose estimation are emphasized, and the available visual navigation algorithms are summarized. Finally, the current unresolved issues in this field are discussed and future research directions are anticipated.