US 12,293,673 B2
Aircraft guidance to moving target point
Rolf Rysdyk, Hood River, OR (US); and Mohammad Ehsan Nasroullahi, Vancouver, WA (US)
Assigned to THE BOEING COMPANY, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by THE BOEING COMPANY, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/659,070.
Prior Publication US 2023/0334992 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. G08G 5/34 (2025.01); B64D 25/00 (2006.01); G01C 21/34 (2006.01)
CPC G08G 5/34 (2025.01) [B64D 25/00 (2013.01); G01C 21/3438 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of guidance for an aircraft, the method comprising:
obtaining, at one or more processors of a guidance system, first relative position data indicative of a direction from a first location of the aircraft at a first time to a first location of a moving target point at the first time;
determining, by the one or more processors based on the first relative position data, a first location of a virtual leader based on projecting the first location of the aircraft onto a first virtual leader path, wherein the first virtual leader path corresponds to a straight approach path to the first location of the moving target point along a desired approach direction, the virtual leader distinct from the moving target point;
determining, by the one or more processors based on the first location of the virtual leader, a guidance input to cause the aircraft to follow the virtual leader;
causing, by the one or more processors, the aircraft to follow the virtual leader by providing the guidance input to the aircraft;
determining, by the one or more processors, a second location of the virtual leader based on the first location, the first virtual leader path, and a virtual velocity associated with the virtual leader; and
determining, by the one or more processors based on the second location of the virtual leader, a second guidance input to cause the aircraft to follow the virtual leader;
obtaining, by the one or more processors, second relative position data indicative of a second direction from a second location of the aircraft at a second time to a second location of the moving target point at the second time;
determining, by the one or more processors based on the second relative position data, a third location of the virtual leader based on projecting the second location of the aircraft onto a second virtual leader path; and
determining, by the one or more processors based on the third location of the virtual leader, a third guidance input to cause the aircraft to follow the virtual leader.