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Feasibility Study of Offering Generalized Equivalent Model for Drag Polar in Formation Flight

Behnam Nia, Fahimeh | 2016

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 49518 (45)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Aerospace Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Malaek, Mohammad Bagher
  7. Abstract:
  8. The increasing demand for air transportation, along with air traffic limitations and environmental pollution concerns, necessitate a comprehensive study in the field of airspace-management. In this regard, one of the promising alternatives is flying smarter via “Formations”. In fact, many works have discussed the benefits of “Commercial Formation Flights”; however, none have discussed a practical way to manage such formations for long-distance cruise. This paper discusses a new approach to manage the “Geometrical Arrangement” of such flights in an efficient manner. In fact, with the help of the so called “Game Theory” and without complex computations we are able to guide each individual aircraft to select its proper position in a formation. The method is flexible and allows other aircrafts to join an existing formation. Each individual aircraft is treated as a “player” that wishes to benefit the most through joining the formation. The benefit is computed based on a “Drag reduction” together with “Keeping a safe-distance from other players”. Here, each aircraft is considered as an agent, able to decide on its preferred location in flight geometry based on a game table; which is updated during the flight. A home-developed GUI helps users to rapidly analyze any new formation. The current game utilizes an existing aerodynamics model to support the players’ decisions. Nonetheless, other aerodynamics model could easily be replace with current one. Moreover, agents could store the benefits they are enjoying as some “experience” and consider such previous
    experiences in their future decisions. Different case studies conducted for long-range cruises so far, clearly indicates that any type of formation flight is preferable as oppose to that of solo flight. More studies are needed to enhance the current work to consider different types of aircraft in a single formation
  9. Keywords:
  10. Formation Flight ; Game Theory ; Multiagent System ; Induced Drag ; Air Traffic

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