Enhanced satellite communications
A system for enhanced satellite communication coverage via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The system may include a satellite configured for orbiting Earth, a vehicle configured for ground transportation on Earth, and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operable for relaying communication signals between the vehicle and the satellite. The system may be configured for transmitting control instructions to the UAV for controlling aerial positioning of the UAV relative to the vehicle and the satellite. The control instructions may specifying a roll, a pitch, and a yaw for orientating the UAV to point towards the satellite.
1 . A system for connecting a vehicle with a satellite, comprising:
a satellite controller configured for operating onboard the vehicle to select the satellite from a plurality of orbiting satellites based on Ephemeris data of the plurality of orbiting satellites, a current position of the vehicle, and a current time;
an intermediary controller configured for operating onboard the vehicle to instruct an unmanned aerial vehicle to:
fly relative to the vehicle to maintain a first bidirectional communication connection with the vehicle; and
fly relative to the satellite to maintain a second bidirectional communication connection with the satellite; and
a communications controller configured for operating onboard the vehicle to wirelessly establish:
the first bidirectional communication connection between the vehicle and the unmanned aerial vehicle for wirelessly exchanging data bidirectionally between the vehicle and the unmanned aerial vehicle; and
the second bidirectional communication connection between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the satellite, the second bidirectional communication connection operable for wirelessly exchanging the data bidirectionally between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the satellite.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the intermediary controller is configured for transmitting control instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the control instructions operable for controlling aerial positioning of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to both the vehicle and the satellite.
3 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the control instructions include orientation parameters for orientating a satellite-facing antenna included on the unmanned aerial vehicle to point in a direction towards an earth-facing antenna on the satellite.
4 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the orientation parameters specify a roll, a pitch, and a yaw to be used by the unmanned aerial vehicle in orientating the satellite-facing antenna towards the satellite.
5 . The system according to claim 4 , wherein:
the unmanned aerial vehicle is unable to determine the roll, the pitch, and the yaw to orient the satellite-facing antenna towards the satellite without the orientation parameters.
6 . The system according to claim 4 , wherein:
the control instructions include movement parameters for directing the unmanned aerial vehicle to launch from and fly relative to the vehicle.
7 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein: the intermediary controller periodically updates the control instructions to account for movement of the vehicle.
8 . The system according to claim 7 , wherein:
the vehicle includes an unmanned aerial vehicle-facing antenna;
the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a vehicle-facing antenna;
a terrestrial portion of the first bidirectional communication connection occurs between the vehicle-facing antenna and the unmanned aerial vehicle-facing antennas; and
an extraterrestrial portion of the second bidirectional communication connection occurs between the satellite-facing antenna and the earth-facing antenna.
9 . The system according to claim 8 , wherein:
the terrestrial portion occurs within a first frequency range; and
the extraterrestrial portion occurs within a second frequency range, at least a portion of the second frequency range being outside of the first frequency range.
10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the intermediary controller is configured for controlling a second unmanned aerial vehicle to fly relative to both the unmanned aerial vehicle and the satellite; and
the communications controller is configured for wirelessly establishing a plurality of connections between:
the vehicle and the unmanned aerial vehicle;
the unmanned aerial vehicle and the second unmanned aerial vehicle; and
the second unmanned aerial vehicle and the satellite.
11 . A system for enhanced satellite communication coverage via an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
an intermediary controller configured for operating onboard a vehicle to instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to:
fly relative to the vehicle to maintain a first bidirectional communication connection with the vehicle; and
fly relative to a satellite to maintain a second bidirectional communication connection with the satellite, wherein a selection of the satellite is based on Ephemeris data of the plurality of orbiting satellites, a current position of the vehicle, and a current time; and
a communications controller configured for operating onboard the vehicle to wirelessly establish:
the first bidirectional communication connection between the vehicle and the unmanned aerial vehicle, the first bidirectional communication connection including a bidirectional terrestrial portion between the vehicle and the unmanned aerial vehicle; and
the second bidirectional communication connection between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the satellite, the second bidirectional communication connection including a bidirectional extraterrestrial portion between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the satellite.
12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the vehicle includes an unmanned aerial vehicle-facing antenna;
the unmanned aerial vehicle includes both a vehicle-facing antenna and a satellite-facing antenna;
the satellite includes an earth-facing antenna;
the bidirectional terrestrial portion occurs between the vehicle-facing antenna and the unmanned aerial vehicle-facing antenna; and
the bidirectional extraterrestrial portion occurs between the satellite-facing antenna and the earth-facing antenna.
13 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein:
the intermediary controller is configured for transmitting control instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the control instructions operable for controlling aerial positioning of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to both the vehicle and the satellite.
14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein:
the control instructions include orientation parameters for orientating the satellite-facing antenna towards the earth-facing antenna.
15 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein:
the orientation parameters specify a roll, a pitch, and a yaw for orientating the satellite-facing antenna towards the earth-facing antenna.
16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein:
the unmanned aerial vehicle is unable to determine the roll, the pitch, and the yaw to orient the satellite-facing antenna towards the satellite without the orientation parameters.
17 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein:
the control instructions include movement parameters for directing the unmanned aerial vehicle to launch from and fly relative to the vehicle.
18 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein:
the intermediary controller periodically updates the control instructions to account for movement of the vehicle.
19 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the bidirectional terrestrial portion occurs within a first frequency range; and
the bidirectional extraterrestrial portion occurs within a second frequency range, at least a portion of the second frequency range being outside of the first frequency range.
20 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein:
the intermediary controller is configured for controlling a second unmanned aerial vehicle to fly relative to both the unmanned aerial vehicle and the satellite; and
the communications controller is configured for wirelessly establishing a plurality of connections between:
the vehicle and the unmanned aerial vehicle;
the unmanned aerial vehicle and the second unmanned aerial vehicle; and
the second unmanned aerial vehicle and the satellite.