PID Control Implementation for Velocity Channel in Formation Flight Aircraft

In formation flight operations involving UAVs or manned aircraft, velocity channel control is critically important. Each aircraft within the formation must maintain relative speed and spacing to ensure safety and coordination. Implementing PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controllers for speed regulation represents a commonly adopted and effective methodology.

The PID controller achieves speed adjustment through three core components: the proportional term (P) adjusts output based on current velocity error, the integral term (I) eliminates steady-state error, while the derivative term (D) suppresses rapid velocity fluctuations. During formation flight, speed variations in the lead aircraft impact the entire formation, requiring follower aircraft to dynamically adjust their velocities to maintain synchronization with the leader.

In practical implementation, the system monitors relative distance and velocity differences between aircraft, computes error signals, and feeds them into the PID controller. The controller then generates corresponding thrust or drag adjustment commands to ensure rapid response and stable convergence of aircraft velocity. Given the complex dynamic characteristics of formation flight, PID parameter optimization (Kp, Ki, Kd) becomes particularly crucial, typically requiring calibration through simulation or actual flight testing. Code implementation generally involves real-time error calculation functions, PID gain scheduling algorithms, and actuator control interfaces.

Furthermore, formation flight may require integration with additional control strategies (such as path following and collision avoidance), yet PID control of the velocity channel provides fundamental support for formation coordination. Advanced implementations often incorporate feedforward compensation and adaptive tuning mechanisms to enhance performance under varying flight conditions.