A Self-Adaptive Refueling Drogue Navy SBIR FY2004.4 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2004.4 Topic No.: N04-266 Topic Title: A Self-Adaptive Refueling Drogue Proposal No.: N044-266-0006 Firm: Continuum Dynamics, Inc. 34 Lexington Avenue Ewing, New Jersey 08618-2302 Contact: Robert McKillip Phone: (609) 538-0444 Web Site: www.continuum-dynamics.com Abstract: Current technology aerial refueling drogues cannot accommodate the desired range of Navy/Marine refueling missions in a single design configuration. A novel drogue design approach that incorporates aeroelastic structural elements, capable of accommodating a wide range of flight speeds and aircraft types, is proposed for further analysis and development. The concept expands recent Navy work on a fabric-free drogue design, through the incorporation of speed-dependent flexural components, while also significantly reducing the number of parts from current drogue designs. Speed adjustment of the drogue is completely passive, as demonstrated in pre-proposal testing activities. Use of self-adaptive structural modification capabilities promises to significantly extend the drogue's operational envelope to cover all aircraft of interest in the Navy/Marine inventory. Benefits: The proposed refueling drogue would be of considerable benefit to both U.S. military and foreign air forces, in that enhanced refueling operations at a wide range of airspeeds would become practical. This device would also allow for refueling of air vehicles that fall near the flight speed bands of current Navy/Marine hose and drogue refueling systems, such as the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft and possibly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Return