Airbus Demonstrates Autonomous Refueling Technology

Published on March 28, 2023

Airbus subsidiary Airbus UpNext demonstrated a test flight of their autonomous Auto’Mate inflight refueling technology in a flight from Getafe, Spain. Both the Airbus A310 MRTT tanker and four Do-DT25 drones were autonomously guided using the platform. The flight lasted nearly six hours, and the drones were able to establish a position 150ft (45m) behind the tanker. 

The Auto’Mate platform is based on three pillars: ‘accurate relative navigation to precisely plot the relative position, speed, and attitude between tanker and receiver; intra-flight communication between different assets; and cooperative control algorithms to provide guidance, coordination, consensus, and collision-avoidance functions between the air vehicles.’

Read the full article here.

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