Textron Innovations Inc.

Juan Li

Kip Gregory Campbell

Michael Kevin McNair

According to one implementation of the present disclosure, a method for formation flight is disclosed. The method includes: during flight, arranging for a first aircraft to fly into a proximity range of a second aircraft; and determining first aircraft positioning based on power consumption data of the first aircraft, where the first aircraft positioning corresponds to power-reducing formation flight of the first aircraft.

Systems and methods for power reduction in formation flight

A method of autonomous flight path planning for a group of cooperating aircraft operating in formation includes: receiving information related to obstructions that interfere with an aircraft of the group continuing on a flight path; calculating a velocity obstacle for each obstruction; calculating a plurality of candidate velocities outside of the velocity obstacles; selecting a first velocity from the candidate velocities and operating a leader of the group at the first velocity; calculating, based upon keeping a follower aircraft in formation, a second velocity for the follower; determining whether the second velocity is inside one of the velocity obstacles; operating the follower at the second velocity when the second velocity is outside the velocity obstacles; and calculating a revised velocity that is outside of the velocity obstacles and operating the follower at the revised velocity when the second velocity is inside one of the velocity obstacles.

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Keller, TX, United States of America

Juan Li