Wind-Aware Synchronized-Arrival Optimization for Small-Turbofan UAVs via Segmented RPM Scheduling and Phase-Circle Retention

Cooperative UAV missions often require multiple vehicles to reach a target area at nearly the same time. For small-turbofan UAVs flying along recorded routes, this timing task is affected by path-length differences, spatially varying wind, and phase-circle segments kept for waiting or coordination. Under these conditions, using only a fixed cruise setting often leaves limited room for arrival-time adjustment. This paper develops a wind-aware synchronized-arrival optimization method for small-turbofan UAVs based on segmented RPM scheduling and phase-circle retention. The method combines local wind projection along the path, an empirical RPM-to-airspeed model, and discrete flight-time integration, and it evaluates three timing-adjustment modes: fixed-alpha segmented RPM optimization, fixed-RPM phase-circle retention optimization, and their joint optimization. The method is tested on the recorded trajectories of UAV 13 and UAV 14, using a reconstructed wind field obtained from multi-UAV flight data. In the wind-aware constant-RPM baseline, both UAVs keep the full phase-circle segments and fly at 6500 rpm, which gives a predicted synchronization error of 1.192 s. Segmented RPM optimization reduces the error to 0.013 s. Phase-circle retention optimization reduces it to 0.007 s and shortens the total path length from 37,752.3 m to 26,103.4 m. The joint optimization gives the best result, with a synchronization error of 6.58×10−4 s and a total path length of 26,094.4 m. A no-wind ablation study also shows that ignoring wind leads to a total flight-time bias of about 29–31 s. These results indicate that phase-circle retention is effective for coarse flight-time adjustment through path shortening, whereas segmented RPM scheduling is better suited to fine timing correction. Using the two together improves synchronized-arrival prediction and adjustment for recorded UAV paths in wind.