High Altitude, Long Endurance, Unmanned Aircraft and Methods of Operation Thereof
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- acquiring, by a first satellite tracker of a first high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft, a satellite having an onboard electromagnetic (EM) sensor;
tracking, by the first satellite tracker of the first HALE unmanned aircraft, the acquired satellite;
signaling, by the first HALE unmanned aircraft to a second HALE unmanned aircraft, the location of the tracked satellite;
acquiring, by a second satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft; and
tracking, by the second satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft capable of persistent station-keeping having one or more electromagnetic (IR/Visual/RF) sensor elements or suites for purposes of survey and/or signal gathering. Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft capable of persistent station-keeping having a directable laser. Embodiments include a group of four or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft configured as GPS repeaters.
-
Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
acquiring, by a first satellite tracker of a first high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft, a satellite having an onboard electromagnetic (EM) sensor; tracking, by the first satellite tracker of the first HALE unmanned aircraft, the acquired satellite; signaling, by the first HALE unmanned aircraft to a second HALE unmanned aircraft, the location of the tracked satellite; acquiring, by a second satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft; and tracking, by the second satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 7, 8, 11, 14)
-
-
3-4. -4. (canceled)
-
6. (canceled)
-
9-10. -10. (canceled)
-
12-13. -13. (canceled)
-
15. A system comprising:
-
a first high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft comprising; a first satellite tracker; wherein the first satellite tracker is configured to acquire and track a satellite having an onboard electromagnetic (EM) sensor; a second HALE unmanned aircraft comprising; a second satellite tracker; wherein the second HALE unmanned aircraft is configured to receive, via signaling by the first HALE unmanned aircraft or via signaling via a ground station, the location of the tracked satellite, and wherein the second satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft is configured to acquire and track the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
17. (canceled)
-
22-25. -25. (canceled)
-
29. (canceled)
-
30. A method of global positioning system (GPS) signal augmentation comprising:
-
deploying a group of four or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft, each unmanned aircraft comprising a GPS antenna, GPS receiver, and a GPS repeater; receiving, by at least four of the four more HALE unmanned aircraft, a GPS signal from a respective GPS satellite; and forming, by each of the at least four HALE unmanned aircraft respectively, a repeatable received GPS signal for transmission. - View Dependent Claims (31, 33, 34)
-
-
32. (canceled)
-
35-39. -39. (canceled)
Specification