Autonomous distress tracking using automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast

An autonomous distress tracking system for an aircraft, comprising:

• a satellite navigation system receiver configured to identify a position of the aircraft using navigation signals received from a satellite navigation system and to provide position information indicating the position of the aircraft;
• a plurality of antennas comprising a satellite navigation system antenna for receiving the navigation signals for the satellite navigation system receiver, an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast antenna for an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast transceiver, an emergency locator transmitter beacon antenna for a beacon transmitter, a satellite communications antenna for a satellite communications transceiver, and a wireless network antenna for connectivity to a wireless network by a wireless network transceiver;
• a software defined radio that is configurable to implement the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast transceiver, the beacon transmitter, the satellite communications transceiver, and the wireless network transceiver and to transmit a distress transmission via one or more of the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast antenna, the emergency locator transmitter beacon antenna, the satellite communications antenna, and the wireless network antenna;
• a system controller comprising a distress identifier configured to determine when the aircraft is in a distress condition and configured to control the software defined radio to transmit the distress transmission in response to a determination that the aircraft is in the distress condition;
• and
• a housing attached to the aircraft on an outside of the aircraft, wherein the satellite navigation system receiver, the software defined radio, and the system controller are contained within the housing.

A method of autonomous distress tracking of an aircraft, comprising:

• transmitting an automatic distress transmission by an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast transceiver;
• identifying a position of the aircraft using navigation signals received from a satellite navigation system and to provide position information indicating the position of the aircraft by a satellite navigation system receiver;
• implementing at least the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast transceiver and beacon transmitter and transmitting a distress transmission via one or more of an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast antenna and the emergency locator transmitter beacon antenna, by a software defined radio;
• determining when the aircraft is in a distress condition and controlling the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast transceiver to transmit the automatic distress transmission in response to a determination that the aircraft is in a distress condition;
• and implementing autonomous distress tracking of an aircraft using a housing attached to the aircraft on an outside of the aircraft, wherein the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast transceiver, satellite navigation system receiver, software defined radio, and a system controller are contained within the housing.