Distributed Airborne Fleet Formation for Airport-Free Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current airborne transportation systems are limited by the need for airports, which are expensive to operate and inconvenient for customers, and lack the flexibility and scalability of distributed transportation systems.
Innovation Solution
A distributed airborne transportation system utilizing small-scale airborne vehicles with vertical take-off and landing capabilities that can load and unload passengers and cargo at any location, forming flight formations for efficient long-range travel without the need for airports, using flight control centers with wireless communication links for fleet management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If large size fixed-wing aircraft are used to transport large number of passengers and cargo, then transportation capacity is improved, but the system becomes limited by airports which are expensive to operate and inconvenient to use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the transportation system into small modular airborne vehicles that can operate independently or in formations. Instead of relying on a few large aircraft at centralized airports, the system segments transportation into numerous small units that can access distributed locations, eliminating the need for traditional airports and improving convenience while maintaining capacity through fleet coordination
2Quantity of substance
If large size fixed-wing aircraft are used, then transportation capacity is improved, but the system lacks flexibility and scalability under increasing demands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic fleet formations where small airborne vehicles can autonomously join or leave formations based on transportation demands. The system transitions between individual vehicle operation and coordinated fleet operation, allowing scalable capacity adjustment without the rigidity of fixed large-aircraft schedules and routes, thereby improving both flexibility and scalability
3Quantity of substance
If airports are used as centralized hubs, then large number of passengers and cargo can be transported, but the system creates bottlenecks and requires expensive ground infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the transportation function from centralized airport infrastructure and relocates it to distributed airborne vehicles. By removing the requirement for ground-based airports and using small vehicles that can land at diverse locations, the system eliminates expensive ground infrastructure while maintaining transportation volume through coordinated fleet operations
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide an alternative distributed airborne transportation system. In some embodiments, a method for distributed airborne transportation includes: providing an airborne vehicle with a wing and a wing span, having capacity to carry one or more of passengers or cargo; landing of the airborne vehicle near one or more of passengers or cargo and loading at least one of passengers or cargo; taking-off and determining a flight direction for the airborne vehicle; locating at least one other airborne vehicle, which has substantially the same flight direction; and joining at least one other airborne vehicle in flight formation and forming a fleet, in which airborne vehicles fly with the same speed and direction and in which adjacent airborne vehicles are separated by distance of less than 100 wing spans.