Method and apparatus for autonomous buoy-based situational awareness for flying boats
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorsLAVEEN VIKRAM SUNDARARAJ, Nicolas Swarner, Jacob Bonner
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Abstract
A method for establishing a situational awareness of a surface of a body of water is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes deploying a plurality of autonomous buoys under or on the surface of the body of water; and scattering the plurality of autonomous buoys to form a mesh communication network.
Claims20
A method for establishing a situational awareness of a surface of a body of water, comprising:
- deploying a plurality of autonomous buoys under or on the surface of the body of water;
- and
- scattering the plurality of autonomous buoys to form a mesh communication network.
An autonomous buoy configured for establishing a situational awareness of a surface of a body of water, comprising:
- a housing;
- a propulsor configured to propel the housing on or beneath the surface of the body of water;
- a first transceiver configured to transmit and receive data, to and from, respectively, a second autonomous buoy;
- and
- a second transceiver configured to send and receive data, to and from, respectively, a flying boat.
A method for performing a water scooping operation from a surface of a body of water, comprising:
- deploying a plurality of autonomous buoys the surface of the body of water;
- scattering the plurality of autonomous buoys to form a mesh communication network;
- establishing a communication link between the mesh communication network and a flying boat;
- directing the flying boat to perform the water scooping operation;
- arranging the plurality of autonomous buoys into one or more closely packed groups for retrieval;
- and
- retrieving the plurality of autonomous buoys.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.