US 12,437,654 B2
Optimizing a flight of an aircraft with at least one segment of formation flight
Kirk A. Vining, Renton, WA (US); Alvin L. Sipe, Kenmore, WA (US); Dragos D. Margineantu, Bellevue, WA (US); and Tristan C. Flanzer, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Oct. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/500,544.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/126,670, filed on Dec. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0198943 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. G08G 5/34 (2025.01); G01C 23/00 (2006.01); G06N 5/04 (2023.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); G08G 5/25 (2025.01)
CPC G08G 5/34 (2025.01) [G01C 23/005 (2013.01); G06N 5/04 (2013.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); G08G 5/25 (2025.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for optimizing a flight of a first aircraft with at least one segment of formation flight in which the first aircraft is a trailing aircraft relative to a vortex generated by a leading aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store computer-readable program code; and
processing circuitry configured to access the memory, and execute the computer-readable program code to cause the apparatus to at least:
access flight plans for flights of a fleet of aircraft that includes the flight of the first aircraft, the flight plans including real-time sensor data collected during the flight of the first aircraft;
transform the flight plans into values of a set of features that describe segments of the flights;
apply the values of the set of features to a machine learning model trained to output a first formation flight notification, indicating at least one segment of formation flight in which an operational efficiency metric of the flight of the first aircraft would be improved by flying in formation with a second aircraft serving as the leading aircraft, wherein the operational efficiency metric is a standard of measurement of operational efficiency of an aircraft determined by an optimization engine, the optimization engine configured to determine values of the operational efficiency metric subject to air traffic control requirements that comprise operational requirements of the fleet of aircraft that include air traffic separation rules that maintain each aircraft outside a minimum distance from other aircraft;
generate an updated flight plan for the first aircraft indicating the at least one segment of formation flight and the second aircraft that is capable of serving as the leading aircraft;
send the first formation flight notification and the updated flight plan to the first aircraft; and
send a second formation flight notification to the second aircraft indicating the at least one segment of formation flight and indicating that the first aircraft is capable of serving as the trailing aircraft.