| Citation: | Sun Junxiao, Han Chenao, Liu Xueqiang. Optimization of probe-drogue aerial refueling docking strategy based on pre-docking distance[J]. Journal of Aerospace Power, 2026, 41（X）：20250438 doi: 10.13224/j.cnki.jasp.20250438
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In probe-and-drogue aerial refueling, the position of the drogue is challenging to control under the bow wave effect, frequently leading to docking failure. To address this issue, a dynamic simulation platform for the probe-and-drogue aerial refueling docking process was developed to calculate the displacement response of the drogue at different pre-docking distances. The computational results indicated that the pre-docking distance significantly affected the variation in drogue sinkage. A larger pre-docking distance extended the duration of the docking process, thereby increasing the cumulative interference time of the bow wave effect, and resulting in a greater dynamic variation amplitude of sinkage throughout the process. To mitigate the excessive impact of the bow wave effect on drogue sinkage, the longitudinal initial position envelopes for successful docking were determined for different pre-docking distances. Optimization results demonstrate that, in addition to aligning with the center of the drogue, applying an upward offset of 50–70 cm based on the pre-docking distance can significantly enhance the docking success rate. Moreover, this strategy exhibits robust performance against atmospheric disturbances.
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