---
title: "AUTOPILOT: A Distributed Planner for Air Fleet Control"
authors:
  - "Perry W. Thorndyke"
  - "Dave McArtbur"
  - "Stephanie J. Cammarata"
doi: ""
url: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1981/36"
pdf: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1981/0036.pdf"
venue: "Proceedings of the Seventh International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence"
year: 1981
pages: "171-176"
track: "Cognitive Science"
keywords:
---

# AUTOPILOT: A Distributed Planner for Air Fleet Control

Perry W. Thorndyke, Dave McArtbur, Stephanie J. Cammarata

*Proceedings of the Seventh International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence*, pages 171-176.

## Abstract

Distributed planning requires both arc hitectures for structuring multiple planners and techniques for planning, communication, and co operation . We describe a family of systems for distributed control of multiple aircraft, in which eac h aircraft plans its own flight path and avoids collis ions with other aircraft. AUTOPILOT, the kernel planner used by each aircraft, comprises severa l processing "experts" that share a common world model. These experts sense the world, plan and evaluate flight paths, communicate with other aircra ft, and control plan execution . We discuss fo ur architectures for the distribution of airspace management and planning responsibility among the several aircraft occupying the airspace at any point in time . The architectures differ in the extent of cooperation and communication among aircraft.