Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the future will work in teams or swarms, which to you might resemble a flock of birds. Now then the easiest way to do this is to have a few of the trailing aircraft or lead aircraft fly along and have the other aircraft in the loose swarm key off the every move and flight control change of those aircraft. This makes the most obvious sense.

If one of these lead aircraft were telematically controlled from a virtual command center (a pilot sitting a PC) then the rest would mimic that aircrafts commands and that aircrafts corrections for wind etc. Now then, since all wind pockets will somewhat change the lead aircrafts flight path we need an averaging of all the flight control commands made to the lead aircraft, which will be sent to the following aircraft in the swarm.

Each member of the swarm would use its own stability control autopilot for straight and level flight, but use the averaging commands for subtle changes. If the leader aircraft is not flown telematically then it would have the more expensive flight control navigation systems while the members of the swarm would have the least expensive systems, that is to say only what is needed to maintain control and direction. Basic over the counter 3-axis RC model autopilots.

The leader aircraft system would be duplicated in every one-in-twelve aircraft although in the other aircraft they would be turned off. Swarms would have three aircraft waypoint type leaders and remain in a triangle formation. The spare leaders would remain in the body of the swarm in the middle. The triangle shaped swarm could fly forward with the leader in front or on its side with the leader in back. Think on this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/