The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 21, 2023
Filed:
Jan. 21, 2022
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Bryan Kashawlic, Chester Heights, PA (US);
Bryan C.H. Chu, Chandler, AZ (US);
Russell Enns, Chandler, AZ (US);
Alex Salem Bourreza, West Chester, PA (US);
Stephen Alexander Mohammed, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Erik Bellandi, Brookhaven, PA (US);
THE BOEING COMPANY, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
An aircraft and method of operating an aircraft include a flight formation control unit configured to automatically transition the aircraft into an automatic flight formation mode in response to the aircraft being within one or both of a predetermined speed or a predetermined range in relation to at least one other aircraft flying within the automatic flight formation mode. The flight formation control unit can be further configured to automatically transition the aircraft out of the automatic flight formation mode in response to detection of a control signal received from one or more flight controls of the aircraft. The flight formation control unit can be further configured to automatically cycle the aircraft and the at least one other aircraft to different positions during the automatic flight formation mode.