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Formation flight enhances aerodynamic efficiency through vortex-induced lift augmentation, known as Surfing Aircraft Vortices for Energy (SAVE). This study develops a rapid evaluation framework using the vortex lattice method (VLM). A validated aerodynamic model is established for the Energy-Efficient Transport (EET) AR12 configuration, incorporating wind tunnel data and Reynold-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equation benchmarks. Critical spanwise spacing thresholds are identified through systematic parameter sweeps, supported by a computational efficiency analysis demonstrating seven-aircraft formation simulations within 300 s on a quad-core 3.2 GHz processor. Results reveal that spanwise spacing at 0.5 wingspans induces peak interference, generating a hazardous rolling moment coefficient for following aircraft—exceeding aileron control limits. While streamwise spacing reduces wake effects incrementally, VLM overestimates vortex persistence due to inviscid assumptions, necessitating complementary Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations for decay quantification. This work provides insights into optimizing formation geometries to balance fuel savings with stability, emphasizing tradeoffs between computational efficiency and fidelity in formation flight design.

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Research on the Rapid Prediction Method of Aerodynamic Coupling Characteristics in Formation Flight Based on the Vortex Lattice Method

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Hu Peiling,
  • Cai Jinyan,
  • Tao Yang,
  • Liu Guangyuan,
  • Liu Dawei

摘要

Formation flight enhances aerodynamic efficiency through vortex-induced lift augmentation, known as Surfing Aircraft Vortices for Energy (SAVE). This study develops a rapid evaluation framework using the vortex lattice method (VLM). A validated aerodynamic model is established for the Energy-Efficient Transport (EET) AR12 configuration, incorporating wind tunnel data and Reynold-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equation benchmarks. Critical spanwise spacing thresholds are identified through systematic parameter sweeps, supported by a computational efficiency analysis demonstrating seven-aircraft formation simulations within 300 s on a quad-core 3.2 GHz processor. Results reveal that spanwise spacing at 0.5 wingspans induces peak interference, generating a hazardous rolling moment coefficient for following aircraft—exceeding aileron control limits. While streamwise spacing reduces wake effects incrementally, VLM overestimates vortex persistence due to inviscid assumptions, necessitating complementary Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations for decay quantification. This work provides insights into optimizing formation geometries to balance fuel savings with stability, emphasizing tradeoffs between computational efficiency and fidelity in formation flight design.