公开(公告)号：US09870005B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-16

申请号：US15092781

申请日：2016-04-07

Applicant: SUNLIGHT PHOTONICS INC.

Inventor： Sergey V. Frolov ,  Michael Cyrus ,  Allan J. Bruce ,  John P. Moussouris

IPC: G05D1/10 ,  B64C13/16

CPC classification number: G05D1/104 ,  B64C13/16 ,  B64D43/02

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatus for close formation flight are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for close formation flight, comprises a plurality of sensors for collecting measurements characterizing airflow near an aircraft. The plurality of sensors are attachable to at least one of a wing, fuselage, or tail of the aircraft, and the measurements provide information about airflow velocity in a direction transverse to a direction of the aircraft flight.

公开(公告)号：US10301037B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-28

申请号：US15076478

申请日：2016-03-21

Applicant: SUNLIGHT PHOTONICS INC.

Inventor： Sergey V. Frolov ,  Michael Cyrus ,  Allan J. Bruce ,  John P. Moussouris

IPC: B64D43/02 ,  B64D43/00 ,  G01F1/32 ,  G01F1/46 ,  G01F1/68 ,  G05D1/10 ,  G01P5/00 ,  G01P5/165 ,  G01P13/02

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatus for close formation flight are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for establishing situational awareness during formation flight includes exchanging transponder signals between at least two aircraft, establishing two-way communication links between the at least two aircraft, exchanging telemetry data between the at least two aircraft, and assigning the roles of a leader and a follower to the aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US09758257B1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-12

申请号：US15092790

申请日：2016-04-07

Applicant: SUNLIGHT PHOTONICS INC.

Inventor： Sergey V. Frolov ,  Michael Cyrus ,  Allan J. Bruce ,  John P. Moussouris

IPC: G01P13/00 ,  B64D43/02 ,  G05D1/10 ,  G01C21/20 ,  G01P5/10

CPC classification number: B64D43/02 ,  G01C21/20 ,  G01P5/10 ,  G01P5/26 ,  G01P13/025 ,  G05D1/104

Abstract: Embodiments of air flow sensing systems are provided herein. In some embodiments, one or more sensors are positionable on an aircraft and dimensioned and arranged to measure vector components of airflow velocity having at least one of a transverse or streamwise direction relative to a flight direction of the aircraft. In some embodiments, the one or more sensors are positioned in front of an aircraft wing and distributed as an array of sensors along the span of the aircraft wing.

公开(公告)号：US10017271B2

公开(公告)日：2018-07-10

申请号：US15075097

申请日：2016-03-18

Applicant: SUNLIGHT PHOTONICS INC.

Inventor： Sergey V. Frolov ,  Michael Cyrus ,  Allan J. Bruce ,  John P. Moussouris

IPC: B64C1/00 ,  B64D43/02 ,  B64D43/00 ,  G01F1/32 ,  G01F1/46 ,  G01F1/68

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatus for close formation flight are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of sensing three dimensional (3D) airflow by an aircraft includes: collecting measurements characterizing airflow near the aircraft; analyzing the collected measurements; creating, by a processor, a computer model predicting one or more 3D airflow patterns parameter values based on the analyzing; obtaining one or more additional measurements characterizing airflow near an aircraft of the plurality of aircraft, and evaluating an error between an airflow parameter value predicted by the computer model and the one or more additional measurement.