Formation flight system extremum-seeking-control using blended performance parameters

US9864380B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventor

• John J. Ryan · Edgewood, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 21, 2016
• Grant date: Jan 9, 2018
• Expiry date: Jul 21, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05D1/0005
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An extremum-seeking control system for formation flight that uses blended performance parameters in a conglomerate performance function that better approximates drag reduction than performance functions formed from individual measurements. Generally, a variety of different measurements are taken and fed to a control system, the measurements are weighted, and are then subjected to a peak-seeking control algorithm. As measurements are continually taken, the aircraft will be guided to a relative position which optimizes the drag reduction of the formation. Two embodiments are discussed. Two approaches are shown for determining relative weightings: “a priori” by which they are qualitatively determined (by minimizing the error between the conglomerate function and the drag reduction function), and by periodically updating the weightings as the formation evolves.