High altitude, long endurance, unmanned aircraft and methods of operation thereof
First Claim
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1. A method of satellite sensor interdiction, comprising:
- deploying a first high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft comprising a satellite tracker and a directable electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitter in cooperation with the satellite tracker;
acquiring, by the satellite tracker, a satellite having an onboard EM sensor;
tracking, by the satellite tracker, the acquired satellite;
emitting interdicting EM radiation, by the directable EM radiation emitter, to the tracked satellite;
prior to the step of emitting by the first HALE unmanned aircraft, deploying a second HALE unmanned aircraft comprising a satellite tracker;
signaling by the first HALE unmanned aircraft to the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the location of the tracked satellite;
acquiring, by the satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft; and
tracking, by the satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft.
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Abstract
Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft (110) capable of persistent station-keeping having one or more electromagnetic (IR/Visual/RF) sensor elements or suites (112, 337) for purposes of survey and/or signal gathering. Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft (110) capable of persistent station-keeping having a directable laser (331). Embodiments include a group of four or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft (611-614) configured as GPS repeaters.
148 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of satellite sensor interdiction, comprising:
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deploying a first high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft comprising a satellite tracker and a directable electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitter in cooperation with the satellite tracker; acquiring, by the satellite tracker, a satellite having an onboard EM sensor; tracking, by the satellite tracker, the acquired satellite; emitting interdicting EM radiation, by the directable EM radiation emitter, to the tracked satellite; prior to the step of emitting by the first HALE unmanned aircraft, deploying a second HALE unmanned aircraft comprising a satellite tracker; signaling by the first HALE unmanned aircraft to the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the location of the tracked satellite; acquiring, by the satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft; and tracking, by the satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for satellite sensor interdiction comprising:
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a first high altitude, long endurance HALE unmanned aircraft comprising; a satellite tracker and a directable electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitter in cooperation with the satellite tracker wherein the satellite tracker is configured to acquire and track a satellite having an onboard EM sensor; and
wherein the directable EM radiation emitter is configured to emitting interdicting EM radiation to the EM sensor of the tracked satellite;a second HALE unmanned aircraft comprising a 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;
wherein the satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft is configured to acquire the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft; and
wherein the satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft is further configured to track the satellite tracked by the first HALE unmanned aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification