US 11,887,493 B2
Systems and methods for power reduction in formation flight
Kip Gregory Campbell, Hurst, TX (US); and Juan Li, Keller, TX (US)
Assigned to TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed on Aug. 20, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/545,938.
Prior Publication US 2021/0056857 A1, Feb. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. G08G 5/04 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); G05D 1/10 (2006.01); G08G 5/00 (2006.01); B64D 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC G08G 5/04 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 31/00 (2013.01); G05D 1/1064 (2019.05); G08G 5/0004 (2013.01); G08G 5/0069 (2013.01); B64U 2201/102 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of formation flight, comprising:
during flight, arranging for a first aircraft not a part of a V-flight formation to fly into a proximity range of a second aircraft to be detected by the second aircraft and to request entry into the flight formation with the second aircraft; and
enabling, upon the request being accepted, communication between the trailing and lead aircrafts; and
determining first aircraft positioning based on power consumption data of the first aircraft,
wherein the first aircraft positioning relative to the second aircraft is based on energy conservation formation flight of the first aircraft.