Composite wing unmanned aerial vehicle formation control method, device and equipment and storage medium

Abstract

This application discloses a method, apparatus, device, and storage medium for controlling the formation of compound-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), relating to the field of UAV formation flight control technology. The method includes: acquiring lead aircraft formation information; determining corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information; using the lead aircraft target altitude corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, sequentially configuring the wingman target altitudes corresponding to the wingman formation information to determine wingman target altitude configuration information and corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information; controlling the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the lead aircraft target altitude configuration information, and performing a pre-switch action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode after the climb is completed; controlling the wingman to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the wingman target altitude, and after the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains a preset delay time in fixed-wing mode flight, controlling the wingman to perform a pre-switch action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) formation flight control technology, and in particular to methods, devices, equipment and storage media for controlling the formation of compound-wing UAVs. Background Technology

[0002] Compound-wing UAVs have significant advantages in multi-aircraft formation flight and can be widely used in scenarios such as formation performances, collaborative mapping, and emergency search and rescue. However, the entire process of the formation taking off simultaneously from the ground, climbing vertically to assemble, and then switching to fixed-wing mode is the most risky stage of the entire mission. It requires multiple UAVs to coordinate efficiently in three-dimensional space, avoid conflicts, and complete mode switching and formation building.

[0003] In current practices, after each drone in a formation reaches a predetermined hovering altitude, multiple drones almost simultaneously perform a pre-switch maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode. However, at the instant of this mode switching, the rotor thrust of all drones decreases simultaneously, while the wing lift is built up simultaneously. The downwash and wake of multiple drones overlap and couple, causing a sudden and severe disturbance in the overall aerodynamic environment of the formation. This could result in some drones having switched to fixed-wing mode while others remain in rotor mode, creating an inconsistent situation and further exacerbating safety risks. Therefore, how to achieve coordinated safety control of compound-wing drone formations has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this application is to provide a method, apparatus, device, and storage medium for controlling a formation of compound-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aiming to solve the technical problem of how to achieve coordinated and safe control of a formation of compound-wing UAVs.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application proposes a method for controlling the formation of compound-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the method comprising: Obtain the lead aircraft formation information, and determine the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information; Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, the target altitude of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information is configured sequentially to determine the wingman target altitude configuration information and the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information. Based on the target altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft, the lead aircraft is controlled to climb to the corresponding altitude, and after the climb is completed, a forward cut-off maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode is performed; Based on the target altitude of the wingman, the wingman is controlled to climb to the corresponding altitude. After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, the wingman is controlled to perform a forward cut-off maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

[0006] In one embodiment, the step of determining the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information includes: Based on the lead aircraft formation information, the readiness response parameters of the wingmen under the preset target are verified, and the verification result is determined. Based on the verification results, the wingman formation information at the preset ground layout position is determined.

[0007] In one embodiment, the step of configuring the target altitude of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information sequentially, using the target altitude of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information as a low-level reference, and determining the wingman target altitude configuration information and the corresponding wingman target altitude configuration information includes: Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, the target altitude of the lead aircraft is sequentially accumulated by a preset altitude difference to determine the target altitude accumulation information. Based on the accumulated target altitude information, the target altitude of the wingman formation information is configured sequentially to determine the target altitude configuration information of the wingman; The target altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft is determined based on the target altitude configuration information of the wingman.

[0008] In one embodiment, the step of determining the target height accumulation information by sequentially adding a preset height difference to the target heights of the lead aircraft, using the target height of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, includes: Acquire the rotor downwash airflow parameters, wind disturbance parameters, measurement parameters, and formation altitude difference parameters of the UAV; The preset height difference is adjusted based on the rotor downwash airflow parameters, the wind disturbance parameters, the measurement parameters, and the formation height difference parameters to determine the height difference adjustment information within the preset safety range; Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, the target altitude of the lead aircraft is sequentially added to the altitude difference adjustment information to obtain the target altitude accumulation information.

[0009] In one embodiment, the step of controlling the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the lead aircraft target altitude configuration information, and performing a forward cut-off maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode after the climb is completed includes: Obtain wingman readiness response information; Based on the target height configuration information of the lead aircraft, the lead aircraft is controlled to climb vertically to the corresponding height, and then hovers after the climb is completed; After the lead aircraft hovers, it controls the wingman to perform a forward cut maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode based on the wingman's readiness response information.

[0010] In one embodiment, the step of controlling the wingman to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the target altitude of the wingman, and after the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, controlling the wingman to perform a pre-cut maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode includes: Based on the target altitude of the wingman, control the wingman to climb vertically to the corresponding altitude and hover; After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, a fixed-wing switch event command broadcast by the lead aircraft to all wingmen via a preset communication link is obtained; Based on the fixed-wing switching event command, the wingman is controlled to perform a forward switching action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

[0011] In one embodiment, the method further includes: When a wingman fails to respond correctly to an event command from the lead aircraft, the wingman is marked as an abnormal wingman, and the abnormal wingman is kept in its current safe state. The normal wingman in the control formation enters a pause and wait state until the abnormal wingman recovers and resends a readiness receipt, or receives a manual intervention instruction from the ground station to eliminate the communication failure.

[0012] Furthermore, to achieve the above objectives, this application also proposes a composite-wing UAV formation control device, which includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire the lead aircraft formation information and determine the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information. The processing module is used to configure the target height of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information in sequence, using the target height of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information as the low-level reference, and to determine the wingman target height configuration information and the corresponding wingman target height configuration information. The execution module is used to control the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the lead aircraft target altitude configuration information, and to perform a forward cut-off action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode after the climb is completed; The execution module is also used to control the wingman to climb to the corresponding altitude according to the target altitude of the wingman, and after the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, control the wingman to perform a forward cut-off action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

[0013] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also proposes a composite wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) formation control device, the device comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the computer program being configured to implement the steps of the composite wing UAV formation control method described above.

[0014] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also proposes a storage medium, which is a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the compound-wing UAV formation control method described above.

[0015] One or more technical solutions proposed in this application have at least the following technical effects: This embodiment proposes a method for controlling the formation of compound-wing UAVs. The method involves acquiring the formation information of the lead aircraft and determining the corresponding wingman formation information based on this information. Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the formation information as a low-level reference, the method sequentially configures the target altitudes of the wingmen corresponding to the formation information, determining the wingman target altitude configuration information and the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information. Based on the lead aircraft target altitude configuration information, the method controls the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude. After climbing, it performs a forward-switching maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode. Based on the wingman target altitude, the method controls the wingmen to climb to the corresponding altitude. After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains a preset delay in fixed-wing mode flight, the method controls the wingmen to perform a forward-switching maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode. This application establishes a correspondence between formation members by acquiring the lead aircraft formation information and determining the corresponding wingman formation information. Using the lead aircraft's target altitude as the minimum baseline for the formation, progressively increasing target altitudes are configured for each wingman, forming a tiered altitude hierarchy. This ensures the lead aircraft is positioned at the lowest level, avoiding the impact of the wingmen's downwash airflow, while simultaneously guaranteeing that each UAV does not conflict vertically. Based on the lead aircraft's target altitude configuration information, the lead aircraft is controlled to climb to its corresponding altitude. After climbing, it prioritizes the forward cut maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode, allowing the lead aircraft to complete the mode switch first and avoiding aerodynamic coupling caused by simultaneous switching with wingmen. Based on the wingmen's target altitude, the wingmen are controlled to climb to their respective corresponding altitudes. The forward cut maneuver is executed only after the lead aircraft has completed the switch and maintained fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay. This effectively staggers the mode switching actions of the lead and wingmen, avoiding instantaneous communication congestion and inconsistent states caused by simultaneous switching of multiple aircraft, significantly improving the safety and reliability of the mode switching phase. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the composite-wing UAV formation control method of this application. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating Embodiment 2 of the compound-wing UAV formation control method of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the modular structure of the composite-wing UAV formation control device according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the equipment structure of the hardware operating environment involved in the composite wing UAV formation control method in the embodiments of this application.

[0019] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0020] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0021] To better understand the technical solution of this application, a detailed description will be provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0022] The main solution of this application embodiment is as follows: obtain the lead aircraft formation information, and determine the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information; using the lead aircraft target altitude corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, configure the wingman target altitude corresponding to the wingman formation information in sequence to determine the wingman target altitude configuration information and the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information; control the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the lead aircraft target altitude configuration information, and perform a forward switching action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode after the climb is completed; control the wingman to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the wingman target altitude, and after the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, control the wingman to perform a forward switching action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

[0023] In this embodiment, for ease of description, the following description will focus on the control device for identifying the formation of compound-wing UAVs.

[0024] Because in the current technology, when multiple drones switch modes simultaneously, the rotor thrust of all drones decreases at the same time and the wing lift is established at the same time. The downwash and wake of multiple drones are superimposed and coupled, causing a sudden and violent disturbance to the overall aerodynamic environment of the formation. This may result in some drones having switched to fixed-wing mode while others are still in rotor mode, which is inconsistent and further exacerbates the safety risks.

[0025] This application provides a solution that establishes a correspondence between formation members by acquiring the lead aircraft formation information and determining the corresponding wingman formation information. Using the lead aircraft's target altitude as the minimum baseline for the formation, progressively increasing target altitudes are configured for each wingman, forming a stepped altitude hierarchy. This ensures the lead aircraft is positioned at the lowest level, avoiding the impact of the wingmen's downwash airflow, while simultaneously guaranteeing that each UAV does not conflict vertically. Based on the lead aircraft's target altitude configuration information, the lead aircraft is controlled to climb to its corresponding altitude. After climbing, a forward cut maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode is prioritized, allowing the lead aircraft to complete the mode switch first and avoiding aerodynamic coupling caused by simultaneous switching with wingmen. Wingmen are then controlled to climb to their respective corresponding altitudes based on their target altitudes. The forward cut maneuver is executed only after the lead aircraft has completed its switch and maintained fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay. This effectively staggers the mode switching actions of the lead and wingmen, avoiding instantaneous communication congestion and inconsistent states caused by simultaneous switching of multiple aircraft, significantly improving the safety and reliability of the mode switching phase.

[0026] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a method for controlling the formation of compound-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), referring to... Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the composite-wing UAV formation control method of this application.

[0027] In this embodiment, the composite wing UAV formation control method includes steps S10~S40: Step S10: Obtain the lead aircraft formation information, and determine the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information; It should be noted that the lead aircraft formation information is a data set used to define the role, status, and mission attributes of the lead aircraft in the formation. As the core control node of the formation, it can be pre-stored in the lead aircraft or uploaded by the ground station through the communication link before takeoff. The wingman formation information is a data set used to define the role, spatial arrangement, and response of each wingman in the formation. It can be dynamically generated by combining the ground-preset physical arrangement rules and the air altitude layer mapping rules.

[0028] In a specific embodiment, the lead aircraft formation information is acquired, and the readiness response parameters of the wingmen under a preset target are verified based on the lead aircraft formation information to determine the verification result. Based on the verification result, the wingmen formation information at a preset ground deployment position is determined. That is, before the takeoff command is issued, the lead aircraft pre-sets the target number of wingmen, for example, the wingmen readiness response parameters under the preset target, such as N_target=4, and based on its own flight control and MAVLink protocol, periodically broadcasts heartbeat query commands through the mesh network to actively detect the actual number N_actual of wingmen currently in a ready state. Here, the mesh network (wireless mesh network) is a self-organizing, self-healing multi-hop communication network, in which each node (such as a drone) can both act as a terminal device to send and receive data, and also act as a relay node to forward information from other nodes, thereby expanding the communication coverage and enhancing the redundancy and reliability of the link, effectively avoiding single-point communication. The impact of faults on formation coordinated control is addressed by the readiness state, which includes RTK fixed unlocking, sensor self-test passing, and battery power exceeding the 70% threshold. The lead aircraft compares N_actual with N_target; if they are equal, the verification passes and the result is recorded in the local log; otherwise, takeoff is refused and an alarm is reported, thus completing the verification of the wingman's readiness response parameters. Subsequently, the lead aircraft can bind the verified wingmen to their ground coordinates according to the pre-arranged symmetrical position rules on the ground, thereby obtaining the wingman formation information. This allows each aircraft in the formation to form a non-conflicting preset channel in both the vertical and horizontal directions, eliminating the need for complex obstacle avoidance calculations during operation and significantly improving the safety and reliability of the formation takeoff and assembly phase.

[0029] It should be understood that the symmetrical position rule means that all UAVs in the formation are arranged along a preset direction (such as in a line) according to a preset ID rule, and the horizontal distance between adjacent UAVs is not less than the safe distance between UAVs d_min (in this embodiment, d_min ≤ 10 meters). Each UAV has a unique ID pre-stored in the flight control firmware, with the ID of the lead UAV recorded as 0, and the IDs of the wingmen recorded as 1, 2, ..., N. In this embodiment, the lead aircraft ID=0 is located in the center of the single-file formation, and the wingmen are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the lead aircraft in the order of 4-3-0-1-2. That is, wingmen ID=1 and ID=2 are distributed on one side of the lead aircraft (along the +X direction), and wingmen ID=3 and ID=4 are distributed on the other side of the lead aircraft (along the -X direction). At this time, the geometric center and aerodynamic center of the formation are both located directly above the lead aircraft. When the formation is hovering and assembled, the disturbance trends of each wingman are symmetrical and the combined impact on the lead aircraft is minimized when it is subjected to external disturbances (such as gusts). When the lead aircraft switches to fixed-wing and accelerates forward, the downwash airflow of the wingmen on both sides cancels out the impact on the acceleration channel of the lead aircraft. The lateral disturbance experienced by the lead aircraft during acceleration is minimized. Moreover, the central arrangement of the lead aircraft makes it convenient for operators to observe the takeoff and assembly process of the entire formation from the ground, which is convenient for manual intervention in abnormal situations.

[0030] In one feasible implementation, step S10 may include steps A11-A12: Step A11: Based on the lead aircraft formation information, verify the wingman readiness response parameters under the preset target and determine the verification result; It should be noted that the verification result is a verification pass or fail flag obtained by the lead aircraft by comparing the actual number of ready wingmen with the preset expected number of wingmen.

[0031] Understandably, the preset target is the total number of wingmen expected to participate in this mission, which is pre-set by the ground station or the lead aircraft before takeoff. The wingman readiness response parameters are a set of status flags reported by each wingman when responding to the lead aircraft's heartbeat query, which may include whether an RTK fixed solution has been obtained, whether the sensor self-test has passed, and whether the battery level is higher than a preset threshold.

[0032] Step A12: Determine the wingman formation information at the preset ground layout position based on the verification result.

[0033] Understandably, the preset ground layout positions are the horizontal coordinates and relative positions of each drone determined according to fixed rules during the ground placement phase. For example, the lead drone is in the center (ID=0), and the wingmen are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the lead drone according to their numbers, i.e., a symmetrical line arrangement of 4-3-0-1-2. The horizontal distance between adjacent drones is not less than the safety distance. In addition to the symmetrical line arrangement, it can also be an arc, V-shape, symmetrical V-shape, or other symmetrical arrangement with the lead drone in the center, or an asymmetrical arrangement with the lead drone at the end of the queue, as long as the horizontal distance between adjacent drones is maintained.

[0034] Step S20: Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as the low-level reference, configure the target altitude of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information in sequence to determine the wingman target altitude configuration information and the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information. Understandably, the low-level reference is the lowest altitude layer among all drones. By using the target altitude of the lead drone as the low-level reference and having the wingmen increase their altitude sequentially, it can be ensured that the lead drone is always at the bottom of the formation, thus avoiding the upward impact of any wingmen's downwash airflow. At the same time, it can ensure that the horizontal channel for the lead drone to accelerate forward after switching from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode is below the hovering altitude layer of all wingmen, eliminating channel intersection conflicts in three-dimensional space.

[0035] In a specific embodiment, the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information is used as the low-level reference. The target altitudes of the lead aircraft are sequentially accumulated by a preset altitude difference to determine the accumulated target altitude information. That is, the lead aircraft uses its own target altitude H_base (e.g., 100 meters) as the lowest reference for the formation, expressed as: H_0=H_base Here, H_0 is the target altitude of the lead aircraft, and H_base can be set to 100 meters relative to the ground.

[0036] At this point, following the wingman IDs in ascending order (i.e., i=1,2,...,N), H_base is sequentially incremented by a height difference ΔH, where ΔH is the height difference between adjacent drones. The target altitude for each wingman is calculated, yielding the accumulated target altitude information, represented as: H_i = H_base + i × ΔH Where i = 1, 2, ..., N, and H_i corresponds to the target altitude of the wingman.

[0037] As can be seen from the above, the lead aircraft is always located at the lowest altitude layer of the formation, and the wingmen are arranged upwards in order of their IDs, forming a stepped layered structure.

[0038] At this point, the lead aircraft is at its lowest altitude, ensuring it is not affected by the downwash airflow from any wingmen, resulting in the most stable attitude. Furthermore, the lead aircraft reaches the target altitude first, serving as a benchmark for waiting for the wingmen to take their positions. Simultaneously, the lead aircraft's forward acceleration path is located below the formation, ensuring no overlap or conflict with the wingmen's climb path or hovering altitude in three-dimensional space.

[0039] Based on the accumulated target altitude information, the target altitude of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information is configured sequentially to determine the wingman target altitude configuration information. Based on the wingman target altitude configuration information, the target altitude configuration information of the corresponding lead aircraft is determined, thereby completing the complete configuration of the target altitude of the lead aircraft and wingmen.

[0040] Step S30: Based on the target altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft, control the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude, and after the climb is completed, perform a forward cut-off action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode; Understandably, the lead aircraft will complete the mode switch independently after climbing, without waiting for the wingmen to synchronize. This ensures that the lead aircraft's forward transition is not affected by the airflow of other drones. Since the lead aircraft is at the lowest altitude layer of the formation, the path for the lead aircraft to accelerate forward after switching to fixed-wing is completely below the hovering altitude layer of all wingmen, eliminating the risk of spatial conflict with the wingmen.

[0041] In a specific embodiment, wingman readiness response information is obtained, and the lead aircraft is controlled to vertically climb to the corresponding altitude based on the lead aircraft's target altitude configuration information. After climbing, it hovers. That is, during the takeoff and assembly phase, the lead aircraft broadcasts takeoff event commands to all wingmen through the mesh network. All drones begin vertical takeoff almost simultaneously, climbing along a vertical path directly above their ground positions. The horizontal XY coordinates remain unchanged during the climb, thus ensuring that the climb paths of different drones are strictly separated on the horizontal plane. Each drone independently determines whether it has reached its own target altitude H_i based on RTK altitude feedback. The determination condition is: continuous T Within _h seconds (e.g., T_h=1 second), the RTK altitude is within the range of [H_i-0.5 meters, H_i+0.5 meters]. After reaching the target altitude, the UAV enters a hovering state. After the wingman enters the hovering state, it reports a readiness message to the lead aircraft. The lead aircraft continuously receives readiness messages reported by each wingman after reaching its respective target altitude and hovering stably, until all the pre-set number N_target wingmen's acknowledgments are collected, thus obtaining the wingman's readiness response information. If the acknowledgments are not collected within the pre-set timeout T_wait (e.g., T_wait=30 seconds), the lead aircraft records an anomaly and reports it to the ground station. The entire team remains hovering and awaits a decision.

[0042] After the lead aircraft hovers, it is controlled to perform a pre-switch maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode based on the wingman readiness response information. That is, the lead aircraft only triggers the pre-switch maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode after hovering and confirming that it has received readiness response information from all wingmen. The pre-switch maneuver includes starting the forward thrust motor to establish horizontal thrust; maintaining the target altitude H_base and accelerating horizontally until the minimum controllable airspeed of fixed-wing is reached; the rotor motor PWM gradually decreases to zero and the wings establish lift; the flight mode switching flag changes from MULTICOPTER to FIXEDWING, thus allowing the lead aircraft to switch first, eliminating the risk of spatial conflict with the wingmen. Moreover, after the lead aircraft enters steady-state fixed-wing flight first, it can serve as a more reliable benchmark for wingman switching and following, thereby significantly improving the safety and reliability of the entire mode switching phase.

[0043] In one feasible implementation, step S30 may include steps B11 to B13: Step B11: Obtain wingman readiness response information; It should be noted that the wingman readiness response information is a status message reported by each wingman to the lead aircraft via the mesh network after it has climbed vertically to its respective target altitude and hovered stably. Only when the lead aircraft has collected the wingman readiness response information from all the preset target wingmen can it confirm that the entire formation has safely completed the layered assembly.

[0044] Step B12: Based on the target height configuration information of the lead aircraft, control the lead aircraft to climb vertically to the corresponding height, and hover after the climb is completed; Understandably, hovering is when the lead aircraft, after reaching its target altitude, uses the flight control system's altitude-maintaining closed-loop control to reduce its vertical speed to zero and continuously maintain its altitude within a preset tolerance range, while keeping its horizontal position unchanged, thus entering a stable state of aerial stillness.

[0045] Step B13: After the lead aircraft hovers, the lead aircraft is controlled to perform a forward cut maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode based on the wingman's readiness response information.

[0046] Understandably, prioritizing the lead aircraft's preemptive cut-off avoids the risk of formation asynchrony caused by the lead aircraft switching before some wingmen have reached the target altitude or stabilized. Furthermore, since the lead aircraft hovers at the lowest altitude level of the formation, its horizontal acceleration path after the preemptive cut is entirely below each wingman, preventing three-dimensional spatial conflicts with wingmen still hovering at higher altitudes. Moreover, the lead aircraft's independent preemptive cut-off ensures that transient aerodynamic disturbances are concentrated only within the lead aircraft itself, avoiding coupling and superposition with the simultaneous switching of multiple aircraft, thus significantly improving the safety and reliability of the mode switching phase.

[0047] Step S40: Control the wingman to climb to the corresponding altitude according to the target altitude of the wingman. After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, control the wingman to perform the forward cut-off action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

[0048] Understandably, each drone begins its vertical climb almost simultaneously. Since each wingman has a different target altitude, the climb time required to reach their respective target altitudes varies, meaning the higher the altitude, the longer the climb takes. This results in a sequential arrival of each drone. Even though they start climbing almost simultaneously, they do not interfere with each other in the vertical direction. The downwash and wake generated by their switching are fully separated in the vertical direction, avoiding aerodynamic coupling during multi-drone synchronous switching, and neither affects the overall safety and collaborative effect.

[0049] In a specific embodiment, the wingmen are controlled to climb vertically to the corresponding height and hover according to the target height of the wingmen. That is, according to the wingmen target height configuration information, each wingmen can be controlled to climb vertically to its corresponding target height and enter a stable hovering state to complete the layered assembly.

[0050] After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, a fixed-wing switch event command broadcast by the lead aircraft to all wingmen through a preset communication link is obtained. That is, after the lead aircraft completes the forward switch action and stabilizes in fixed-wing mode for a preset delay time T_delay (e.g., 2 seconds), it broadcasts the fixed-wing switch event command (MAVLink custom message) to all wingmen through the mesh network. In addition to 2 seconds, the preset delay time T_delay can also be flexibly configured in the range of 1 to 10 seconds according to the fixed-wing steady-state establishment time of the specific compound wing aircraft.

[0051] Based on the fixed-wing switching event command, the wingman executes the pre-switch maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode. That is, the wingman obtains the fixed-wing switching event command through a continuous monitoring link. After receiving the fixed-wing switching event command, the wingman executes the same pre-switch maneuver as the lead aircraft almost simultaneously, without waiting for any additional preset delay. Taking advantage of the spatial isolation of their different altitude layers, the wingman safely completes the mode switch. Since the wingmen were previously located at different altitude layers (with an altitude difference of at least ΔH), even if the wingmen switch almost simultaneously, their downwash and wake are fully separated in the vertical direction, and no obvious multi-aircraft aerodynamic coupling will occur.

[0052] It should be understood that after a wingman completes its forward cut and stabilizes in fixed-wing flight, it will report a forward cut completion acknowledgment to the lead aircraft (including its own ID, current airspeed, and current altitude). Once the lead aircraft has collected all the forward cut completion acknowledgments from N_target wingmen, the formation as a whole confirms that it has entered the cruise phase. At this point, the covered time window ends. After that, the lead aircraft begins to continuously broadcast its own position, and the wingmen follow the lead aircraft in a leader-follower manner during cruise.

[0053] In one feasible implementation, step S40 may include steps C11-C13: Step C11: Control the wingman to climb vertically to the corresponding height and hover according to the target altitude of the wingman; Understandably, wingman hovering involves each wingman climbing vertically to the target altitude, reducing its vertical speed to zero, and maintaining its altitude within a preset tolerance range while locking its horizontal coordinates, thus entering a stable state of aerial stillness. Since different wingmen hover at different altitudes, there is no downwash interference between them.

[0054] Step C12: After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, obtain the fixed-wing switch event command broadcast by the lead aircraft to all wingmen through a preset communication link; Understandably, the preset delay time is the time the lead aircraft needs to wait after completing its own forward switching maneuver, not an additional waiting time added after the wingman receives the instruction. This is to stagger the switching times of the lead aircraft and the wingman, and avoid multiple aircraft switching at the same time.

[0055] Understandably, the default communication link is a mesh network, which has self-organizing and multi-hop relay capabilities, enabling the reliable propagation of instructions issued by the lead aircraft to every wingman. Even if some links are blocked, they can still be forwarded by other wingmen, thereby ensuring the coverage and low packet loss rate of handover instructions. In addition to the data transmission radio mesh network, other low-latency communication links such as 4G / 5G private networks and Sub-1G radios can also be used to achieve event broadcasting between the lead aircraft and wingmen.

[0056] Step C13: Based on the fixed-wing switching event command, control the wingman to perform a forward switching action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

[0057] It should be noted that the fixed-wing switching event command is a custom MAVLink message broadcast by the lead aircraft to all wingmen in the formation via the communication link, used to trigger each wingman to initiate the pre-switching process.

[0058] In one embodiment, when a wingman fails to respond correctly to the primary aircraft's event commands, the wingman is marked as an abnormal wingman, and the abnormal wingman is controlled to maintain its current safe state. That is, at any stage, if a wingman fails to respond correctly to the primary aircraft's event commands due to communication packet loss or software anomalies (such as failing to report a "ready" receipt or a "forward cut completed" receipt within the timeout period T_wait=30 seconds), the primary aircraft identifies the unresponsive wingman through the heartbeat query and event receipt timeout detection mechanism of the mesh network and marks it as abnormal. The local state machine of the abnormal wingman is forced to maintain its current state, that is, if it is still on the ground, it remains on standby; if it is hovering, it locks the hovering state; if it is climbing, it immediately stops climbing and switches to hovering.

[0059] The normal wingmen in the formation are put into a pause and waiting state until the abnormal wingman recovers and resends a readiness acknowledgment, or receives a manual intervention command from the ground station to eliminate the communication failure. Specifically, the lead aircraft broadcasts a "formation pause" command to all normal wingmen, controlling the entire formation to enter a pause and waiting state. Each aircraft maintains its current altitude and horizontal position and hovers. The lead aircraft itself also pauses the switching process. At this time, the formation continuously monitors the communication recovery status of the abnormal wingman. Once the wingman recovers and resends the correct readiness acknowledgment, or the ground station personnel send a manual intervention command through the data transmission link, the pause state is lifted and the coordinated action is resumed according to the established procedure or the aircraft returns safely. This ensures that when the communication link is unstable or a single aircraft malfunctions, the formation will not have some UAVs entering the next stage while other UAVs remain stuck in the previous stage, resulting in inconsistent states. This effectively avoids three-dimensional space conflicts and mission disorder.

[0060] This embodiment proposes a method for controlling the formation of compound-wing UAVs. The method involves acquiring the formation information of the lead aircraft and determining the corresponding wingman formation information based on this information. Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the formation information as a low-level reference, the method sequentially configures the target altitudes of the wingmen corresponding to the formation information, determining the wingman target altitude configuration information and the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information. Based on the lead aircraft target altitude configuration information, the method controls the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude. After climbing, it performs a forward-switching maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode. Based on the wingman target altitude, the method controls the wingmen to climb to the corresponding altitude. After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains a preset delay in fixed-wing mode flight, the method controls the wingmen to perform a forward-switching maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode. This application solves the technical problem of how to achieve coordinated safety control of compound-wing UAV formations. Compared with existing technologies, this application establishes a correspondence between formation members by obtaining the formation information of the lead aircraft and determining the corresponding wingman formation information. Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft as the minimum benchmark for the formation, progressively increasing target altitudes are configured for each wingman, forming a stepped altitude hierarchy. This ensures the lead aircraft is positioned at the lowest point, avoiding the impact of the downwash airflow from the wingmen, while simultaneously ensuring that the vertical directions of each UAV do not conflict. Based on the target altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft, the application controls the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude, and after climbing, prioritizes the operation of the rotorcraft. The pre-switch maneuver from mode to fixed-wing mode allows the lead aircraft to complete the mode switch first, avoiding aerodynamic coupling caused by simultaneous switching with the wingman. Based on the wingman's target altitude, the lead aircraft is controlled to climb to its corresponding altitude. The pre-switch maneuver is then executed after the lead aircraft has completed the switch and maintained a preset delay in fixed-wing mode flight. This effectively staggers the mode switching actions of the lead and wingmen, avoiding instantaneous communication congestion and inconsistent states caused by simultaneous switching of multiple aircraft. It significantly improves the safety and reliability of the mode switching phase and is applicable to scenarios such as collaborative mapping, collaborative inspection, and emergency search and rescue that require multiple UAVs to fly together along preset routes.

[0061] Based on the first embodiment of this application, in the second embodiment of this application, the same or similar content as the first embodiment can be referred to the above description, and will not be repeated hereafter.

[0062] In this embodiment, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating Embodiment 2 of the compound-wing UAV formation control method of this application. Step S20 specifically includes steps S21 to S23: Step S21: Using the target height of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as the low-level reference, the target height of the lead aircraft is sequentially accumulated by a preset height difference to determine the target height accumulation information. It should be noted that the target altitude accumulation information is a discrete altitude value sequence obtained by sequentially accumulating the target altitude of the lead aircraft with a preset altitude difference, which clarifies the target altitude at which each wingman should climb and hover.

[0063] In a specific embodiment, the downwash airflow parameters, wind disturbance parameters, measurement parameters, and formation height difference parameters of the UAV's rotor are obtained. Specifically, when obtaining the downwash airflow parameters of the UAV's rotor, a preset rotor diameter D_rotor can be read to quantify the effective influence range of the downwash airflow, thereby ensuring that the vertical spacing between adjacent UAVs is sufficient to avoid airflow impact and improve the aerodynamic stability of the formation. It should be understood that, in the multi-rotor hovering mode, the effective vertical distance of the downwash airflow generated by the rotor downwards of the compound wing UAV is proportional to the rotor diameter D_rotor. The downwash airflow of the lower UAV should have been sufficiently attenuated by the time it reaches the height of the upper UAV, so ΔH should not be less than several times the rotor diameter.

[0064] When acquiring wind disturbance parameters, the current wind speed V_wind can be measured in real time through the airborne anemometer, and a preset reference wind speed V_ref can be obtained. The height difference can be dynamically adjusted using the ratio, so that the formation can automatically increase the safety margin in windy conditions and maintain compactness in calm conditions, thereby enhancing environmental adaptability. It should be understood that when UAVs are hovering in multi-rotor mode, they will experience horizontal and vertical positional drift due to crosswind disturbances. The greater the wind speed, the greater the drift amplitude. Therefore, ΔH should be taken as a larger value in windy conditions and a smaller value in calm conditions.

[0065] When acquiring measurement parameters, the standard deviations of altitude estimates from RTK, barometer, and IMU must be combined and pre-determined by sensor calibration, i.e., σ_RTK, σ_baro, and σ_IMU. This prevents relative misalignment of adjacent UAVs due to altitude measurement drift and ensures layered reliability. It should be understood that the actual hovering altitude of each UAV is limited by the accuracy of the fusion estimation of RTK positioning, barometer, and IMU, and random errors exist. ΔH should be greater than several times the combined altitude estimation error (e.g., 3σ) to ensure that even if the fusion estimation of the three sensors is simultaneously biased towards the worst-case scenario, adjacent UAVs will not experience vertical relative misalignment due to altitude estimation errors.

[0066] When obtaining the formation altitude difference parameters, based on the mission's requirements for the formation's visual appeal and compactness, the upper and lower limits of the altitude difference, ΔH_min and ΔH_max (e.g., 5 to 15 meters), are preset as safety boundaries for adjustment, taking into account both flight safety and visual effects. It should be understood that in formation performance scenarios, an excessively large altitude difference will cause the vertical span of the formation to be too large, affecting the ground view; an excessively small altitude difference not only lacks safety margin, but is also prone to visual penetration between layers due to hovering altitude jitter.

[0067] Based on the rotor downwash airflow parameters, the wind disturbance parameters, the measurement parameters, and the formation altitude difference parameters, the preset altitude difference is adjusted to determine the altitude difference adjustment information within the preset safety range. That is, considering the rotor downwash airflow parameters, the wind disturbance parameters, the measurement parameters, and the formation altitude difference parameters, ΔH can be calculated and expressed as: ΔH=max{ k_1·D_rotor,k_2·(V_wind / V_ref)·D_rotor,k_3·√(σ_RTK²+σ_baro²+σ_IMU²)}+safety margin Among them, the weighting coefficients k_1, k_2, and k_3 can be selected by technicians based on factors such as specific model, application scenario, and security level. The values ​​must be between the lower safety limit ΔH_min and the upper safety limit ΔH_max. For example, ΔH_min = 5 meters and ΔH_max = 15 meters.

[0068] This allows us to obtain height difference adjustment information within a preset safety range. For example, the adjusted height difference adjustment information ΔH is 10 meters. In addition to 10 meters, it can also be flexibly selected within the range of 5 to 15 meters based on factors such as specific aircraft size, wind disturbance conditions, and performance viewing requirements.

[0069] Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the formation information as a low-level reference, the target altitude of the lead aircraft is sequentially added to the altitude difference adjustment information in order to obtain the target altitude accumulation information. That is, with the target altitude of the lead aircraft as the lowest reference, the adjusted altitude difference is added one by one according to the order of the wingman numbers to form a target altitude sequence that increases sequentially from low to high. This ensures that the lead aircraft is always at the bottom of the formation and is not affected by the downwash airflow. At the same time, it reserves an unobstructed passage for the lead aircraft to accelerate forward after switching to fixed wings first, and allows each wingman to hover safely at different altitude levels.

[0070] In one feasible implementation, step S21 may include steps D11 to D13: Step D11: Obtain the rotor downwash airflow parameters, wind disturbance parameters, measurement parameters, and formation altitude difference parameters of the UAV; It should be noted that the rotor downwash airflow parameter of the UAV is the rotor downwash influence range, corresponding to the rotor diameter and fixed parameters of the model; the wind disturbance parameter is the real-time wind disturbance, corresponding to the wind speed and reference wind speed; the measurement parameter is the positioning and altitude measurement accuracy, corresponding to the standard deviation of altitude estimation of RTK, barometer, and IMU, which is predetermined by sensor calibration; and the formation altitude difference parameter characterizes the appearance and compactness, corresponding to the upper and lower limits of the altitude difference. This ensures that even if adjacent UAVs are affected by wind disturbance or measurement errors during the hovering and assembly phase, their relative positions in the vertical direction will not be disordered, thus providing sufficient safety isolation space.

[0071] Step D12: Adjust the preset height difference based on the rotor downwash airflow parameters, the wind disturbance parameters, the measurement parameters, and the formation height difference parameters to determine the height difference adjustment information within the preset safety range; It is understood that the preset height difference is the fixed distance maintained in the vertical direction between two adjacent UAVs (between the lead UAV and the wingman or between the wingmen) during the vertical assembly phase of the formation. It needs to be determined by comprehensively considering the rotor downwash airflow parameters, the wind disturbance parameters, the measurement parameters, and the formation height difference parameters.

[0072] Step D13: Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as the low-level reference, the target altitude of the lead aircraft is sequentially added to the altitude difference adjustment information to obtain the target altitude accumulation information.

[0073] Understandably, the order of operations is based on the wingman's pre-set number, which is accumulated sequentially from smallest to largest. For example, the target altitude of the lead aircraft is taken as the 0th layer altitude. The altitude difference adjustment information is accumulated once for the first wingman to obtain its target altitude. Then, the altitude difference adjustment information is accumulated twice for the second wingman, and so on. This ensures that the vertical distance between each wingman and the lead aircraft, as well as between wingmen, is fixed and increases sequentially, avoiding the possibility of overlapping altitude layers or disordered order caused by arbitrary sorting.

[0074] Step S22: Based on the target altitude accumulation information, configure the target altitude of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information in sequence to determine the wingman target altitude configuration information; It should be noted that the wingman target altitude configuration information is a specific hovering altitude value assigned to each wingman, which is used to control each wingman to independently climb to the designated altitude level during the vertical takeoff phase.

[0075] In a specific embodiment, the lead aircraft or ground station transmits the accumulated target altitude information to the flight control systems of each wingman in the order of their wingman numbers via a mesh network or a preset task file. This assigns a unique hovering target altitude to each wingman, thereby obtaining wingman target altitude configuration information. This ensures that each wingman has an independent and definite climb target during the takeoff and assembly phase, eliminating the need for dynamic altitude negotiation during flight, reducing communication overhead and logical complexity. It also ensures that the lead aircraft is always at the lowest position in the formation, with wingmen arranged in order of their numbers, completely avoiding vertical conflicts between adjacent UAVs. Furthermore, it reserves a horizontal path unobstructed by wingmen for the lead aircraft to accelerate forward after switching to fixed-wing mode, significantly improving the safety and certainty of the formation's vertical takeoff and assembly and mode switching phases.

[0076] Step S23: Determine the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information based on the wingman target altitude configuration information.

[0077] It should be noted that the target altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft is a set of control parameters for the minimum baseline of the formation, which is used to control the lead aircraft to climb independently to the specified altitude level during the vertical takeoff phase.

[0078] In a specific embodiment, after obtaining the target altitude configuration information of the wingman, the target altitude H_base of the lead aircraft and the calibration attribute that serves as the lowest benchmark for the entire formation can be determined in reverse. This results in the target altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft, establishing a unified correspondence between the target altitudes of the lead aircraft and the wingman, ensuring that the altitude configuration of the lead aircraft and the hierarchical logic of the wingman remain strictly consistent, avoiding parameter conflicts or logical contradictions that may arise due to configuration separation. At the same time, the lowest layer position of the lead aircraft in the vertical space of the entire formation is clearly calibrated, ensuring that there are no wingmen obstructing the horizontal passage below the lead aircraft when it accelerates forward after switching to fixed-wing aircraft.

[0079] This embodiment proposes a composite-wing UAV formation control method, which uses the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, and sequentially accumulates the target altitude of the lead aircraft by a preset altitude difference to determine the target altitude accumulation information; based on the target altitude accumulation information, the target altitude of the wingmen corresponding to the wingmen formation information is configured sequentially to determine the wingmen target altitude configuration information; and based on the wingmen target altitude configuration information, the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information is determined. This application solves the technical problem of how to achieve coordinated safety control of compound-wing UAV formations. Compared with existing technologies, this application uses the target altitude of the lead aircraft as the minimum benchmark of the formation, and sequentially accumulates the preset altitude difference according to the wingman number to generate target altitude accumulation information. It also configures each wingman with a sequentially increasing hovering altitude to determine the altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft itself. This forms a stepped vertical layered structure with clear hierarchy from low to high, ensuring that the lead aircraft is always at the lowest position in the formation. This completely avoids the lead aircraft being impacted by the updraft of any wingman. At the same time, it ensures that the horizontal channel of the lead aircraft after switching to fixed-wing mode and accelerating forward is completely below the hovering altitude layer of all wingmen, eliminating channel intersection conflicts in three-dimensional space, ensuring that adjacent UAVs do not interfere with each other in the vertical direction, and significantly improving the safety of vertical take-off and assembly and mode switching phases of the formation.

[0080] This application also provides a composite-wing UAV formation control device; please refer to... Figure 3 The composite-wing UAV formation control device includes: The acquisition module 10 is used to acquire the lead aircraft formation information and determine the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information. Processing module 20 is used to configure the target height of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information in sequence, using the target height of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information as the low-level reference, and to determine the wingman target height configuration information and the corresponding wingman target height configuration information. Execution module 30 is used to control the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding height based on the lead aircraft target height configuration information, and to perform a forward cut-off action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode after the climb is completed; The execution module 30 is also used to control the wingman to climb to the corresponding altitude according to the target altitude of the wingman, and after the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, control the wingman to perform a forward cut-off action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

[0081] The acquisition module 10 is also used to verify the wingman readiness response parameters under the preset target based on the lead aircraft formation information, and determine the verification result; Based on the verification results, the wingman formation information at the preset ground layout position is determined.

[0082] The processing module 20 is further configured to use the target height of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, and sequentially add a preset height difference to the target height of the lead aircraft in order to determine the target height accumulation information; Based on the accumulated target altitude information, the target altitude of the wingman formation information is configured sequentially to determine the target altitude configuration information of the wingman; The target altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft is determined based on the target altitude configuration information of the wingman.

[0083] The processing module 20 is also used to acquire the rotor downwash airflow parameters, wind disturbance parameters, measurement parameters and formation altitude difference parameters of the UAV; The preset height difference is adjusted based on the rotor downwash airflow parameters, the wind disturbance parameters, the measurement parameters, and the formation height difference parameters to determine the height difference adjustment information within the preset safety range; Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, the target altitude of the lead aircraft is sequentially added to the altitude difference adjustment information to obtain the target altitude accumulation information.

[0084] The execution module 30 is also used to obtain wingman readiness response information; Based on the target height configuration information of the lead aircraft, the lead aircraft is controlled to climb vertically to the corresponding height, and then hovers after the climb is completed; After the lead aircraft hovers, it controls the wingman to perform a forward cut maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode based on the wingman's readiness response information.

[0085] The execution module 30 is also used to control the wingman to climb vertically to the corresponding height and hover according to the target height of the wingman; After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, a fixed-wing switch event command broadcast by the lead aircraft to all wingmen via a preset communication link is obtained; Based on the fixed-wing switching event command, the wingman is controlled to perform a forward switching action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

[0086] The execution module 30 is also used to mark the wingman as an abnormal wingman when the wingman fails to respond correctly to the event command of the lead aircraft, and to control the abnormal wingman to maintain its current safe state. The normal wingman in the control formation enters a pause and wait state until the abnormal wingman recovers and resends a readiness receipt, or receives a manual intervention instruction from the ground station to eliminate the communication failure.

[0087] The compound-wing UAV formation control device provided in this application, employing the compound-wing UAV formation control method described in the above embodiments, can solve the technical problem of how to achieve coordinated and safe control of compound-wing UAV formations. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the compound-wing UAV formation control device provided in this application are the same as those of the compound-wing UAV formation control method provided in the above embodiments, and other technical features in the compound-wing UAV formation control device are the same as those disclosed in the methods of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0088] This application provides a composite-wing UAV formation control device, which includes: at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to execute the composite-wing UAV formation control method in Embodiment 1 above.

[0089] The following is for reference. Figure 4 The diagram illustrates a structural schematic suitable for implementing the composite-wing UAV formation control device of the embodiments of this application. The composite-wing UAV formation control device in the embodiments of this application may include, but is not limited to, mobile terminals such as mobile phones, laptops, digital broadcast receivers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PADs (Portable Application Description), PMPs (Portable Media Players), vehicle terminals (e.g., vehicle navigation terminals), and fixed terminals such as digital TVs and desktop computers. Figure 4 The compound-wing UAV formation control device shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitations on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.

[0090] like Figure 4 As shown, the compound-wing UAV formation control device may include a processing unit 1001 (e.g., a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, etc.), which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to programs stored in ROM (Read Only Memory) 1002 or programs loaded from storage device 1003 into RAM (Random Access Memory) 1004. RAM 1004 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the compound-wing UAV formation control device. The processing unit 1001, ROM 1002, and RAM 1004 are interconnected via bus 1005. Input / output (I / O) interface 1006 is also connected to the bus. Typically, the following systems can be connected to I / O interface 1006: input devices 1007 including, for example, touchscreens, touchpads, keyboards, mice, image sensors, microphones, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.; output devices 1008 including, for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), speakers, vibrators, etc.; storage devices 1003 including, for example, magnetic tapes, hard disks, etc.; and communication devices 1009. Communication device 1009 allows the compound-wing UAV formation control equipment to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data. Although a compound-wing UAV formation control equipment with various systems is shown in the figure, it should be understood that it is not required to implement or possess all the systems shown. More or fewer systems can be implemented alternatively.

[0091] Specifically, according to the embodiments disclosed in this application, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments disclosed in this application include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication device, or installed from storage device 1003, or installed from ROM 1002. When the computer program is executed by processing device 1001, it performs the functions defined in the methods of the embodiments disclosed in this application.

[0092] The compound-wing UAV formation control device provided in this application, employing the compound-wing UAV formation control method described in the above embodiments, can solve the technical problem of how to achieve coordinated and safe control of compound-wing UAV formations. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the compound-wing UAV formation control device provided in this application are the same as those of the compound-wing UAV formation control method provided in the above embodiments, and other technical features of this compound-wing UAV formation control device are the same as those disclosed in the previous embodiment method, and will not be repeated here.

[0093] It should be understood that the various parts disclosed in this application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0094] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

[0095] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions (i.e., a computer program) stored thereon, the computer-readable program instructions being used to execute the compound-wing UAV formation control method in the above embodiments.

[0096] The computer-readable storage medium provided in this application may be, for example, a USB flash drive, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this embodiment, the computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, system, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wires, optical cables, RF (Radio Frequency), etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0097] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may be included in the composite-wing UAV formation control device; or it may exist independently and not be assembled into the composite-wing UAV formation control device.

[0098] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium carries one or more programs. When these programs are executed by the compound-wing UAV formation control device, the compound-wing UAV formation control device performs the following actions: acquires the lead aircraft formation information; determines the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information; uses the lead aircraft target altitude corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, sequentially configures the wingman target altitude corresponding to the wingman formation information, and determines the wingman target altitude configuration information and the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information; controls the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the lead aircraft target altitude configuration information, and performs a forward-switching maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode after the climb is completed; controls the wingman to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the wingman target altitude, and after the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains a preset delay time in fixed-wing mode flight, controls the wingman to perform a forward-switching maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

[0099] Computer program code for performing the operations of this application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0100] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0101] The modules described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in software or hardware. The names of the modules do not necessarily limit the functionality of the unit itself.

[0102] The readable storage medium provided in this application is a computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-readable program instructions (i.e., computer programs) for executing the above-described compound-wing UAV formation control method, thereby solving the technical problem of how to achieve cooperative and safe control of compound-wing UAV formations. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the computer-readable storage medium provided in this application are the same as those of the compound-wing UAV formation control method provided in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0103] The above description is only a part of the embodiments of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. All equivalent structural transformations made under the technical concept of this application and using the contents of the specification and drawings of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included in the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A compound wing unmanned aerial vehicle formation control method, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain the lead aircraft formation information, and determine the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information; Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, the target altitude of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information is configured sequentially to determine the wingman target altitude configuration information and the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information. Based on the target altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft, the lead aircraft is controlled to climb to the corresponding altitude, and after the climb is completed, a forward cut-off maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode is performed; Based on the target altitude of the wingman, the wingman is controlled to climb to the corresponding altitude. After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, the wingman is controlled to perform a forward cut-off maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The step of determining the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information includes: Based on the lead aircraft formation information, the readiness response parameters of the wingmen under the preset target are verified, and the verification result is determined. Based on the verification results, the wingman formation information at the preset ground layout position is determined.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The step of using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, and sequentially configuring the target altitude of the wingmen corresponding to the wingmen formation information to determine the wingmen target altitude configuration information and the corresponding lead aircraft target altitude configuration information includes: Using the target height of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, the target heights of the lead aircraft are sequentially accumulated by a preset height difference to determine the target height accumulation information. Based on the accumulated target altitude information, the target altitude of the wingman formation information is configured sequentially to determine the target altitude configuration information of the wingman; The target altitude configuration information of the lead aircraft is determined based on the target altitude configuration information of the wingman.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The step of determining the target height accumulation information by using the target height of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference and sequentially adding a preset height difference to the target height of the lead aircraft in order includes: Acquire the rotor downwash airflow parameters, wind disturbance parameters, measurement parameters, and formation altitude difference parameters of the UAV; The preset height difference is adjusted based on the rotor downwash airflow parameters, the wind disturbance parameters, the measurement parameters, and the formation height difference parameters to determine the height difference adjustment information within the preset safety range; Using the target altitude of the lead aircraft corresponding to the lead aircraft formation information as a low-level reference, the target altitude of the lead aircraft is sequentially added to the altitude difference adjustment information to obtain the target altitude accumulation information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The step of controlling the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the lead aircraft target altitude configuration information, and performing a forward cut-off maneuver from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode after the climb is completed includes: Obtain wingman readiness response information; Based on the target height configuration information of the lead aircraft, the lead aircraft is controlled to climb vertically to the corresponding height, and then hovers after the climb is completed; After the lead aircraft hovers, it controls the wingman to perform a forward cut maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode based on the wingman's readiness response information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, The steps of controlling the wingman to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the target altitude of the wingman, and controlling the wingman to perform the forward cut-off maneuver from rotorcraft mode to fixed-wing mode after the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, include: Based on the target altitude of the wingman, control the wingman to climb vertically to the corresponding altitude and hover; After the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, a fixed-wing switch event command broadcast by the lead aircraft to all wingmen via a preset communication link is obtained; Based on the fixed-wing switching event command, the wingman is controlled to perform a forward switching action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: When a wingman fails to respond correctly to an event command from the lead aircraft, the wingman is marked as an abnormal wingman, and the abnormal wingman is kept in its current safe state. The normal wingman in the control formation enters a pause and wait state until the abnormal wingman recovers and resends a readiness receipt, or receives a manual intervention instruction from the ground station to eliminate the communication failure.

8. A composite wing unmanned aerial vehicle formation control device, characterized by, The device includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire the lead aircraft formation information and determine the corresponding wingman formation information based on the lead aircraft formation information. The processing module is used to configure the target height of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information in sequence, using the target height of the wingman corresponding to the wingman formation information as the low-level reference, and to determine the wingman target height configuration information and the corresponding wingman target height configuration information. The execution module is used to control the lead aircraft to climb to the corresponding altitude based on the lead aircraft target altitude configuration information, and to perform a forward cut-off action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode after the climb is completed; The execution module is also used to control the wingman to climb to the corresponding altitude according to the target altitude of the wingman, and after the lead aircraft completes the switch and maintains the fixed-wing mode flight for a preset delay time, control the wingman to perform a forward cut-off action from rotor mode to fixed-wing mode.

9. A compound wing unmanned aerial vehicle formation control device, characterized by, The device includes: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the computer program being configured to implement the steps of the compound-wing UAV formation control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A storage medium, characterized by The storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program is stored on the storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the composite wing UAV formation control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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