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Meeting	ACGS Committee Meeting 120 - Tukwila, WA - November 2017
Agenda Location	7 SUBCOMMITTEE A – Aeronautical and Ground Vehicles 7.3 Autonomous formation flight test results
Title	Autonomous formation flight test results
Presenter	Joe Pahle
Affiliation	NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center
Available Downloads*	presentation
	Downloads are available to members who are logged in and either Active* or attended this meeting.
Abstract	The Automated Cooperative Trajectories –Programmable Autopilot project was a flight experiment to evaluate the performance of two similarly sized vehicles flying in formation such that the trail aircraft benefits by “surfing” the wake of the lead vehicle. The ACT project completed four flights in 2017 using a trail C-20A aircraft surfing in the wake of a lead Gulfstream III utilizing ADS-B as the primary communication between the two aircraft. The ADS-B information was combined with the trail aircraft position and velocity to determine the distance between the two aircraft, and to estimate the relative position between the trail aircraft and the wake vortex generated by the lead aircraft. Lateral and vertical relative position were controlled via analog commands to the C-20A autopilot, while long track control was maintained by test pilots managing throttle position using yoke –mounted pilot displays specifically designed for the research flights. Flight data indicates that ADS-B was adequate for benign trajectory following, while accurate wind estimates were critical for predicting the wake location. Additionally, sustained fuel flow savings greater than 5% were obtained during wake surfing, but significant ride quality degradation was seen at locations in the wake with the higher fuel flow savings.