High altitude, long endurance, unmanned aircraft and methods of operation thereof

• US 9,834,307 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerovironment
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Rios, Edward Oscar
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOOMER, JEFFREY C
• Application Number:
  US15/082,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20160311531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform

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.

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;

emitting interdicting EM radiation, by a directable EM radiation emitter of the first HALE unmanned aircraft in cooperation with the first satellite tracker, to 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.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

forming, by the second HALE unmanned aircraft, an interdiction assessment of the tracked satellite.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

transmitting, by the second HALE unmanned aircraft, the formed interdiction assessment to the first HALE unmanned aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

emitting interdicting EM radiation, by a directable EM radiation emitter of the second HALE unmanned aircraft in cooperation with the second satellite tracker, to the tracked satellite based on an interdiction assessment of at least one of;

the first HALE unmanned aircraft and the second HALE unmanned aircraft.

5. 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 directable EM radiation emitter in cooperation with the first satellite tracker;

wherein the directable EM radiation emitter is configured to emit interdicting EM radiation to the tracked satellite; and

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.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the onboard EM sensor of the tracked satellite is a digital image sensor.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the directable EM radiation emitter of the first HALE unmanned aircraft is a plurality of lasers having differing wavelengths.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the first satellite tracker of the first HALE unmanned aircraft comprises a gyroscopically stabilized telescopic platform feeding an electro-optical sensor in communication with a tracking processor.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the second satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft comprises a gyroscopically stabilized telescopic platform feeding an electro-optical sensor in communication with a tracking processor.

10. The system of claim 5 wherein the second HALE unmanned aircraft further comprises:

a directable electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitter in cooperation with the second satellite tracker.