Abstract

A system for aiding the movement of moving units (aircraft such as helicopters) when flying in formation. Every unit transmits information to every other unit so that bidirectional communication links are established between all units in the formation. Information indicative of the relative position between units is exchanged via the bidirectional communication links such that every unit has redundant position information pertaining to the position of every other unit. By a "data fusion" process performed on the redundant information, every unit accurately determines the position of every unit in the formation. One of the units (the "leader") then transmits "commands" to the other units (the "slaves"). Each command determines the position of a slave within the formation. Utilizing the command transmitted to it by the leader, and utilizing predetermined laws of pilotability, each slave then generates "piloting orders" for directing itself to the position commanded by the leader. These piloting orders may be supplied to an autopilot for automatic control the formation. The distance quantity of the relative position between units may be determined based on the travelling time of the transmissions of the bidirectional communication links between units. The direction quantity of the relative position may be determined based on the detected direction from which the transmission of the bidirectional communication links originated.