Motivated by three applications which are under investigation at the Honeywell Research Laboratory in Minneapolis, we introduce a class of large scale control problems. In particular we show that a formation flight problem, a paper machine control problem and the coordination of cameras in a monitoring network can be cast into this class. In the second part of the paper we propose a decentraliz...

Introduction F ORMATION flight of multiple aircraft has been an active research topic for many years. For the classical lead–follower configuration, when the follower is properly positioned with respect to the lead, the drag on the follower aircraft can be remarkably reduced due to strong wingtip vortices generated by the lead aircraft. Such close-formation flight configurations can lead to red...

The Autonomous Formation Flight (AFF) project at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (Edwards, California) investigated performance benefits resulting from formation flight, such as reduced aerodynamic drag and fuel consumption. To obtain data on performance benefits, a trailing F/A-18 airplane flew within the wingtip-shed vortex of a leading F/A-18 airplane. The pilot of the trail airplane ...

Bihrle Applied Research Inc. has developed unique capabilities for investigating the aerodynamic effects on aircraft in close formation. Wind-tunnel experiments were conducted at the Langley Full-Scale Tunnel using special hardware and computer equipment developed specifically for formation testing. It was demonstrated that static and dynamic force and moment data, as well as surface pressure d...

The influences of the leader in a group of V – flight formation are dealt with. The investigation is focused on the effect of its position and shape on aerodynamics performances of a given V – flight formation. Vortices generated the wing tip of the leader moves downstream forming a pair of opposite rotating line vortices. These vortices are generally undesirable because they create a downwash ...

This paper gives a survey of some of the issues involved in formation flight of satellites near a halo orbit. An example of the use of such a formation is to act as a telescope for imaging interesting astronomical objects, such as extra-solar planets. Issues such as formation establishment, stability and dynamics of the formation, control and reconfiguration, coverage analysis, and inter-satell...

in this paper a double-shaft turbofan engine is considered to be in the design phase. therefore its environmental condition and critical source of failures has been studied and the subsystems and components has been identified. since it is in design phase, the project encounters to the lack of specified failure data. to overcome this problem, the generic data or expert judgments on the basis of...

In this paper we present a solution for formation flight and formation reconfiguration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Based on a virtual leader approach, combined with an extended local potential field, the method is universal applicable by driving the vehicle’s auto pilot. The solution is verified, using a group of UAVs based on a simplified small-scale helicopter, which is simulated in M...