Formation Flight Altitude Monitoring for Collision Risk Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing formation flight systems lack redundancy in anti-collision monitoring for aircraft flying in close proximity, necessitating a solution to ensure safe and collision-free flight geometry.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring system integrated into avionics computers of aircraft calculates the difference between barometric altitudes of lead and follower aircraft, detecting inconsistencies beyond a vortex height margin, and issues alerts or commands disengagement to maintain safe formation flight geometry, complementing TCAS collision avoidance systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If aircraft fly in close proximity during formation flight to reduce fuel consumption, then fuel efficiency is improved, but collision risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is divided into two independent parts: a first part integrated into the TCAS system that calculates altitude differences, and a second part independent of TCAS that determines inconsistencies. This segmentation provides redundant monitoring paths, ensuring that collision risk is monitored through multiple independent channels, thereby maintaining safety while allowing close formation flight for fuel efficiency.
2Device complexity
If a single TCAS system is used for collision avoidance, then system complexity is reduced, but monitoring reliability is insufficient for formation flight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the second part of the monitoring system independent of TCAS, giving it different functional properties. While the first part (TCAS-integrated) handles standard collision avoidance, the second part (independent) specifically monitors formation flight geometry and altitude inconsistencies. This localized differentiation enhances reliability for formation flight without completely redesigning the entire system.
3Reliability
If aircraft maintain strict formation geometry to prevent collision, then safety is improved, but flight flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system continuously receives barometric altitude information from both lead and follower aircraft, calculates altitude differences, and provides feedback when inconsistencies exceed the vortex height margin plus height margin. This feedback mechanism allows aircraft to maintain formation geometry dynamically, adjusting positions in real-time to stay within safe parameters while preserving flight flexibility through informed pilot decision-making rather than rigid constraints.
Data Source
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AI summary
The monitoring system (10) of an aircraft (1) participating in a formation flight as a follower aircraft (1S) or as a lead aircraft (1L), includes electronic circuitry (14) configured to repeatedly perform the following steps: - receive (31) barometric altitude information from the lead aircraft; - receive (32) barometric altitude information from the follower aircraft; - calculate (33) a difference between the barometric altitude of the lead aircraft and the barometric altitude of the follower aircraft; - determine (34) an inconsistency between the barometric altitude of the follower aircraft (1S) and the barometric altitude of the lead aircraft (1L), in the context of the formation flight, if the calculated difference is greater than a vortex height (H) value (V) at a current position of the follower aircraft, plus a height margin;and - if such an inconsistency is determined, order (35) the issuance of an alert in the aircraft cockpit.