Patent ID: 6604711
Filing Date: 2003-08-12
Classification: B64C,B64D

Abstract:
An autonomous system for controlling the aerial feeding of a liquid decontaminant to an unmanned aircraft for decontaminating said aircraft having a probe for receiving said liquid from a liquid supply aircraft, said liquid supply aircraft having a drogue for feeding said liquid to said probe comprising:a hose for feeding said liquid to said drogue, a reel on which said hose is wound, a motor on the liquid supply aircraft for driving said reel, means for generating a laser beam which is fed to the surface of said unmanned aircraft, means for receiving a signal back from said unmanned aircraft surface indicating contamination, a radio transponder on the unmanned aircraft, a radio transponder on the liquid supply aircraft for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the transponder on the unmanned aircraft, the signals received from the unmanned aircraft indicating the relative positions between the two aircraft, and computer means on the liquid supply aircraft for processing the signals received by the transponder on the fueling aircraft and generating control signals for controlling the positioning of the drogue relative to the probe on the hose reel.