Patent ID: 11887493
Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
Field: Control (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC B  G

Claim 19:
20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
flying into a proximity range of a second aircraft to be detected by the second aircraft and to request a new V-flight formation with the second aircraft;
determining, in a first positioning, a first rate of energy dissipation of a first aircraft over a first interval;
enabling, upon the request being accepted, communication between the trailing and lead aircrafts in a second positioning,
determining a second rate of energy dissipation of the first aircraft over a second interval;
determining whether the second rate of energy dissipation is less than the first rate of energy dissipation; and
evaluating whether the first or the second positioning, relative to a second aircraft in the new flight formation with the first aircraft, is an optimal positioning, wherein the optimal positioning corresponds to a reduction in energy dissipation in comparison to an initial positioning or below a power dissipation rate threshold.