# US 2014/0195150 A1 · High Altitude, Long Endurance, Unmanned Aircraft and Methods of Operation Thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195150 A1 - Document ID: US20140195150A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/525,045 - Filed: 2012-06-15 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-18 - Assignees: AeroVironment, Inc. - Inventors: Edward Oscar Rios - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195150A1 ## CPC - G01S 19/11: wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters - B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments - B64D 47/00: Equipment not otherwise provided for - G01S 19/21: Interference related issues {; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service} - G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)} - 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)} - G05D 1/104: {involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying (traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00)} - H04B 7/18504: {Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform} - B64U 10/25: Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) - B64U 2101/20: for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms - B64U 2201/104: using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - H04B: TRANSMISSION - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: transmitting, by each of at least four HALE unmanned aircraft, the respective, repeatable received GPS signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: transmitting within a defined geographic boundary, by each of at least four HALE unmanned aircraft, its repeatable received GPS signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: flying, by each of the group of four or more HALE unmanned aircraft each, in one or more station-keeping patterns in a stratospheric layer above a first defined terrestrial region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 further comprising: relocating, by the group of four or more HALE unmanned aircraft, to fly in one or more station-keeping patterns in a stratospheric layer above a second defined terrestrial region. ### Claim 6 A system of global positioning system (GPS) signal augmentation comprising: a group of four or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft, each aircraft comprising a GPS antenna, GPS receiver, and a GPS repeater; wherein each HALE unmanned aircraft is configured to receive a GPS signal from a respective GPS satellite, and form a repeatable received GPS signal for transmission. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein each of at least four HALE unmanned aircraft is further configured to transmit, within a defined geographic boundary, the repeatable received GPS signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein each HALE unmanned aircraft, of the group of four or more HALE aircraft, is configured to fly in one or more station-keeping patterns in a stratospheric layer above a first defined terrestrial region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein each HALE unmanned aircraft, of the group of four or more HALE aircraft, is configured to relocate and fly in one or more station-keeping patterns in a stratospheric layer above a second defined terrestrial region. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein each HALE unmanned aircraft is configured to persist at altitude for a plurality of twenty-four hour periods, and wherein each HALE unmanned aircraft is configured to land for at least one of: resupply and repair; and thereafter return to a stratospheric layer. ### Claim 11 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; and emitting interdicting EM radiation, by the directable EM radiation emitter, to the tracked satellite. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising the second HALE unmanned aircraft transmitting, by the second HALE unmanned aircraft, an interdiction assessment to the first HALE unmanned aircraft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the second HALE unmanned aircraft further comprises a directable electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitter in cooperation with a satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising: emitting interdicting EM radiation, by the directable EM radiation emitter of the second HALE unmanned aircraft, 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the directable EM radiation emitter of the first HALE unmanned aircraft is a turret mounted laser. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the 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. ### Claim 18 A system for satellite sensor interdiction comprising: 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. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18 further comprising: 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19 wherein the second HALE unmanned aircraft is further configured to transmit an interdiction assessment to the first HALE unmanned aircraft. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19 wherein the second HALE unmanned aircraft further comprises a directable electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitter in cooperation with a satellite tracker of the second HALE unmanned aircraft. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21 wherein the directable EM radiation emitter of the second HALE unmanned aircraft is further configured to emit interdicting EM radiation 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. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18 wherein the directable EM radiation emitter of the first HALE unmanned aircraft is a turret mounted laser. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18 wherein the 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. ### Claim 25 A high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft comprising: a fuselage having an outer skin, the fuselage comprising a communication suite; and an electromagnetic radiation sensor array comprising a plurality of sensor elements disposed about the outer skin of the fuselage; wherein the disposition of the sensor elements define one or more sensor baselines; and wherein the HALE unmanned aircraft is configured to receive and process signal intelligence while flying in a stratospheric layer for a plurality of twenty-four hours periods.