Bachelor/Master Thesis - Rating Methods for Autopilots in Aerial Refueling

Vacancy-ID:  5651 
Place of work:  Geisenfeld-Ilmendorf 
Starting date:  09.07.2026 
Career level:  Graduates 
Type of employment:  Part time; Full-time 
Duration of contract:  4-6 month 
Remuneration:  Remuneration is in accordance with the Collective Agreement for the Public Sector - Federal Government (TVöD-Bund)

Welcome to the Institute of Flight Systems. Our work focuses on the interaction between aircraft configuration, pilots and modern flight system technology. From flight dynamics to unmanned aerial vehicles, from simulation to real flight tests - we analyse, test and develop innovations that will shape the flying of the future.

Due to their complexity and versatile configurations in conjunction with sometimes contradictory requirements like mission effectiveness vs. airworthiness requirements in civil airspace, military aircraft are a highly demanding field of engineering. Within this context the Military Aircraft department deals with topics like flight mechanics, flight control, assistance systems, cockpit layout and aircraft equipment for manned and unmanned military aircraft. In addition, specific military topics like aerial delivery and the cargo handling system, air-to-air refueling, advanced air data systems and unpaved runway operations are tackled.

As part of an ongoing research project, a concept for automated aerial refueling of a fighter aircraft is developed. This system includes autopilots and assistance systems that ensure automated flight control throughout individual mission phases while simultaneously providing the pilot with the necessary information for system monitoring. The complete system will be evaluated in a simulator flight test campaign. However, conventional evaluation methodologies are insufficient to fully assess the described system. In the context of a Bachelor or Master Thesis, you will research evaluation criteria for manned aircraft and conduct analyses of the developed automation concept. The objective is to develop a comprehensive evaluation method for the overall aerial refueling automation system and showing its potential for other use cases. This method should take into account both critical aspects of flight dynamics and human-machine interaction.

Your Tasks

• Research on the following topics:
  o    Flight dynamics evaluation criteria for high-performance aircraft
  o    Methods for evaluating flying qualities, handling qualities, situational awareness, and pilot workload
• Familiarization with the concepts developed for automated aerial refueling
• Development of a new evaluation method for testing aerial refueling autopilots, taking into account the following aspects:
  o    Flight dynamics and handling qualities
  o    Human-machine interaction
• Investigation into the potential generalizability of the results to automated maneuvers in fighter aircraft

Your profile

• You are pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Human Factors, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• You possess foundational knowledge in flight mechanics, handling qualities, autonomous systems, and human-machine interaction.
• You are motivated to engage in interdisciplinary research and have a strong willingness to quickly familiarize yourself with new subject matter.
• You are committed to a scientific and methodical approach in your work.
• Preferred: Experience with flight mechanics simulation models in MATLAB/Simulink.
• Preferred: Practical experience in aircraft maneuvering (e.g., through model aviation, flight simulators, or holding a pilot license).

 We look forward to getting to know you!

If you have any questions about this position (Vacancy-ID 5651) please contact:

Katharina Diehn
Tel.:  +49 531 295 1856