Autonomous Formation Flight Control for Unmanned Follower Aircraft

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current formation flying technologies do not have a solution for unmanned aircraft to autonomously follow a leader, as they lack the visual guidance and responsiveness required to maintain safe spacing, especially when communication latency is a factor.

Innovation Solution

An electronic flight information determination device that collects data on the leader's location and target trajectory to autonomously calculate and provide flight control information for an unmanned accompanying aircraft, ensuring adherence to minimum vertical, longitudinal, and lateral separation values, enabling autonomous formation flying.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If visual flying is used to maintain formation spacing, then formation flying can be performed with manned aircraft, but it cannot be applied to unmanned aircraft due to lack of pilot presence

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformation flying capabilityVSAvoidunmanned operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/visual piloting system with an electronic automated system. The electronic device receives leader aircraft data (position, velocity, trajectory) and automatically calculates control commands for the accompanying unmanned aircraft, substituting the human pilot's visual tracking and manual control with electronic data processing and automated control algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The accompanying unmanned aircraft performs self-guidance by autonomously processing leader aircraft data and generating its own control commands. The system independently determines position deviations, calculates required corrections, and executes control actions without external intervention, enabling self-service operation in formation flying.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Extent of automation

If ground control is used to pilot accompanying unmanned aircraft, then unmanned formation flying becomes possible, but communication latency reduces responsiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunmanned operationVSAvoidcommunication latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an on-board electronic flight information determination device as an intermediary between leader aircraft data and control execution. This intermediary processes data locally in real-time, eliminating the need for ground control communication loops and reducing latency by performing calculations directly on the accompanying aircraft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-calculates control commands based on received leader aircraft data before execution is needed. By continuously processing position and trajectory information and preparing control instructions in advance, the system reduces response time when formation adjustments are required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If manual piloting is used to maintain spacing, then formation flying can be performed, but it requires high pilot skill and attention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformation flying operationVSAvoidpiloting skill requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual piloting operations with an automated electronic control system. The electronic device automatically performs tasks including receiving leader aircraft data, calculating position deviations, determining control commands, and executing adjustments, thereby eliminating the need for manual piloting skills while maintaining formation spacing accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring leader aircraft position and trajectory data, comparing it with the accompanying aircraft's position, and automatically adjusting control commands to maintain desired spacing. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures accurate formation keeping without requiring pilot attention or skill.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11435763B2Electronical device, and method, for automatically determining piloting information of a mobile machine accompanying a leader mobile machine, associated computer program

Publication Date: 2022.09.06 THALES SA

AI summary

Automatic flight information determination device for automatically determining flight control information for an accompanying mobile machine accompanying a leader mobile machine, said device being adapted for collecting the location data of the leader mobile machine from among the actual location data derived from measurements relating to the current location of the leader mobile machine and the current trajectory data of the accompanying mobile machine, and of determining, on the basis of said location data collected, the information items for piloting the accompanying mobile machine as a function of a set of at least two values to be adhered to with respect to the location defined by the data collected, said values to be adhered to being representative of the values included among: a minimum vertical/flight level separation value, a minimum longitudinal/along track separation value, and a minimum lateral/between tracks separation value.