Formation Flight Assistance Using Wake Vortex Uncertainty Windows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Formation flight aircraft experience discomfort due to wake vortices from leading aircraft, which disrupt airflow and cause turbulence, despite existing solutions that fail to fully mitigate passenger discomfort while benefiting from ascending air flow.
Innovation Solution
A system using electronic circuitry on board follower aircraft, employing sensors and a recursive Bayesian filter to estimate wake vortex position and uncertainty, determining a window of potential discomfort, and controlling the aircraft to maintain a safe distance from the vortex, thereby benefiting from ascending airflow without causing discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the follower aircraft positions itself close to the wake vortex to benefit from upward airflow, then fuel consumption is reduced, but passenger discomfort increases due to turbulence
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the actual position of the wake vortex using sensors on the follower aircraft and updates the estimated position in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust the follower aircraft's position dynamically, maintaining optimal distance from the vortex center to benefit from upward airflow while avoiding turbulence zones, thereby reducing fuel consumption without compromising passenger comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical positioning methods with an electronic control system that uses sensors, recursive Bayesian filtering, and automated flight control. This substitution enables precise, real-time adjustment of the follower aircraft's position relative to the wake vortex, allowing optimization of fuel efficiency while maintaining passenger comfort through automated control rather than manual mechanical positioning
2Length of moving object
If the follower aircraft penetrates the space between wake vortices, then closer positioning is achieved, but downward airflow phenomenon impairs performance
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the follower aircraft's position based on real-time wake vortex location and characteristics. Rather than maintaining a fixed distance, the control system continuously modifies the aircraft's position to optimize the balance between proximity to the vortex (for performance benefits) and avoidance of harmful downward airflow zones, enabling adaptive optimization of flight performance
3Use of energy by moving object
If existing wake vortex positioning systems are used, then upward airflow benefit is achieved, but passenger discomfort is not fully mitigated
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary estimation of the wake vortex position using available data before the follower aircraft actually encounters the vortex. This advance prediction allows the flight control system to proactively adjust the aircraft's position and trajectory to optimize energy efficiency while preemptively avoiding turbulence zones that would cause passenger discomfort, rather than reacting after the aircraft has already encountered harmful conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reduces passenger discomfort and maintains performance benefits by accurately positioning the follower aircraft relative to the wake vortex, ensuring comfort and efficient flight.
Implementation Method 1
using a recursive Bayesian filter, determining an estimated position of the wake vortex from the information relating to the lead aircraft obtained and a wake vortex model, and determining an estimation uncertainty on the estimated position of the wake vortex
Implementation Method 2
by controlling their position relative to the wake vortices, the follower aircraft can benefit from an upward airflow phenomenon induced by the wake vortices, thus reducing drag and fuel consumption
Implementation Method 3
determining an effect of the wake vortex experienced by the follower aircraft as a difference between measurements, carried out by sensors of the follower aircraft, and a modeling of the follower aircraft in a wake vortex-free environment
Data Source
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AI summary
A formation flying assistance system is installed on a follow aircraft to benefit from the updraft induced by a wake vortex generated by a lead aircraft. The system determines the effect of the assumed wake vortex experienced by the follow aircraft as a difference between sensor measurements and a free-environment wake vortex model. Using a recursive Bayesian filter, the system determines an estimated wake vortex position based on information about the lead aircraft and a wake vortex model, and establishes an uncertainty in this estimate. From this uncertainty, a window of potential discomfort for the passengers of the follow aircraft is calculated. The system keeps the follow aircraft outside this window of potential discomfort. Thus, passenger comfort on the follow aircraft is ensured while still allowing them to benefit from the updraft induced by the wake vortex.