Tethered unmanned aircraft antenna
AssigneeHRL Laboratories, LLC
InventorsChristopher P. Henry, Walter S. Wall, Carson White, Richard Berg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Tethered Unmanned Aircraft Antenna utilizing a Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) which may be provided by quadcopter drone (for example) constrained by a tether connected at one end to a maritime or land-based platform, the tether also being used as a RF antenna. The tether is capable of transmitting DC power to the UAS or drone at a desired antenna height and simultaneously supports RF transmission power with the help of a DC power isolation circuit. The tether is desirously lightweight and corona resistant.
Claims5
A tethered unmanned aircraft antenna system comprising a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) system, which is constrained, in use, by a tether connected at one end to a maritime or land-based platform or vehicle and at another end to the VTOL UAS, the tether also being used as an RF antenna;
- wherein the tether includes a coaxial cable having a core and an exterior sheath, the coaxial cable being provided for transmitting DC power to the UAS at a desired antenna height by applying said DC energy between the core and the exterior sheath;
- where the coaxial cable simultaneously supports RF power transmission via the exterior sheath to radiate a desired RF pattern from the exterior sheath.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.