Methods of Use of Flow Sensors on Aerial Vehicles and Devices Thereof

A flight vehicle comprising:

• one or more sensors;
• at least one of configurable hardware logic configured to be capable of implementing and a processor coupled to a memory and configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory comprising:
• receiving flow data from one or more sensors positioned on a surface of a flow induced lifting device or proximate to the flow induced lifting device of the flight vehicle;
• determining a structure of flow proximate to the flow induced lifting device, based on the received flow data from the one or more sensors;
• determining at least one location of non-optimal flow in the structure of flow proximate to the flow induced lifting device;
• and
• providing at least one instruction to optimize the flow structure at the at least one location of non-optimal flow.

A method for a first flight vehicle to autonomously follow a second flight vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a configurable hardware logic stored on the first flight vehicle, flow data from one or more sensors positioned on the first flight vehicle, wherein the flow data is based on one of a flow induced thrust or flow induced lift generated by the second flight vehicle;
• determining, by the configurable hardware logic stored on the first flight vehicle, a relative location of the first flight vehicle with respect to the flow induced thrust or flow induced lift generated by the second flight vehicle based on the received flow data;
• and
• identifying, by the configurable hardware logic stored on the first flight vehicle, at least one operational action to follow the second flight vehicle based on the determined relative location of the first flight vehicle with respect to the flow induced thrust or flow induced lift generated by the second flight vehicle.

A flight vehicle comprising:

• one or more sensors;
• at least one of configurable hardware logic configured to be capable of implementing and a processor coupled to a memory and configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory comprising:
• receiving flow data from the one or more sensors, wherein the flow data is based on one of a flow induced thrust or flow induced lift generated by a second flight vehicle;
• determining a relative location of the flight vehicle with respect to the flow induced thrust or flow induced lift generated by the second flight vehicle based on the received flow data;
• and
• identifying at least one operational action to follow the second flight vehicle based on the determined relative location of the flight vehicle with respect to the flow induced thrust or flow induced lift generated by the second flight vehicle.

A method for providing an informed launch for a flight vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a computing device, wind data over a period of time from one or more sensors positioned on the flight vehicle when the flight vehicle is in a perched state;
• determining, by the computing device, a direction and a speed from the wind data over the period of time;
• and
• identifying, by the computing device, an opportunistic launch time based on the determined direction and the speed from the wind data.

A flight vehicle comprising:

• one or more sensors;
• at least one of configurable hardware logic configured to be capable of implementing and a processor coupled to a memory and configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory comprising:
• receiving wind data over a period of time from the one or more sensors when the flight vehicle is in a perched state;
• determining a direction and a speed from the wind data over the period of time;
• and
• identifying an opportunistic launch time based on the determined direction and the speed from the wind data.

A method for providing for thermal soaring, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a computing device, flow data from one or more sensors positioned on a flight vehicle;
• determining, by the computing device, a change in bias in the flow data;
• and
• identifying, by the computing device, presence of an updraft from a thermal based on the determined change in bias.

A flight vehicle comprising:

• one or more sensors;
• at least one of configurable hardware logic configured to be capable of implementing and a processor coupled to a memory and configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory comprising:
• receiving flow data from the one or more sensors;
• determining a change in bias in the flow data;
• and
• identifying presence of an updraft from a thermal based on the determined change in bias.