Visualization for real-time position monitoring in formation flying

A formation monitoring system for a plurality of aircraft flying in formation comprising:

• a lead display for a leader aircraft of the plurality of aircraft configured to:
• display a current position of one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft;
• differentially display the current position of the one or more one aircraft of the plurality of aircraft from a target position of the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft;
• and
• indicate when the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft have moved to the target position, wherein the leader aircraft is piloted;
• an aircraft selector for the leader aircraft of the plurality of aircraft configured to select the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft displayed on the lead display;
• a target position selector for the leader aircraft of the plurality of aircraft configured to select a target position on the lead display for the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft selected by the aircraft selector;
• a lead controller for the leader aircraft of the plurality of aircraft, configured to:
• receive a current position signal from the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft;
• calculate the current position of the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft;
• wherein the current position of the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft are displayed on the lead display;
• and
• calculate the target position of the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft, wherein the relative positions of the target positions of the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft are displayed on the lead display;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the target position signal to one or more follower aircraft of the plurality of aircraft;
• a follow display for the one or more follower aircraft, wherein the follower aircraft is piloted by a follower pilot;
• and
• a follow controller for the one or more follower aircraft of the plurality of aircraft configured to:
• receive the target position signal from the leader aircraft;
• receive a reassignment signal from the leader aircraft;
• and
• calculate the target position of the one or more follower aircraft, wherein the relative positions of the target positions of the one or more aircraft of the plurality of aircraft are displayed on the follower display, wherein upon receiving a reassignment signal, the follower controller is reassigned as a lead controller;
• and
• a follow user interface communicatively coupled to the follow controller, where upon the follow controller receiving the reassignment signal, is configured to receive a second target position signal input from the follow pilot;
• and
• a follow transmitter communicatively coupled to the follow controller configured to transmit a second target position signal to another aircraft of the plurality of aircraft.