DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR COUNTERING DRONE COUNTERMEASURES
A navigation system and method for guiding a vehicle with respect to a source of jamming is disclosed, the system and method being capable of receiving navigation-aid signals, detecting jamming of such signals, mitigating such jamming, determining direction to the source of jamming, and interdicting that source, e.g., a drone gun.
1 . A system for navigating with respect to at least one of navigation-aid signal and jamming thereof, comprising:
an antenna array comprising a first antenna and a second antenna;
wherein the first antenna is connected to a signal combiner via a first signal path, wherein the second antenna is connected to the signal combiner via a second signal path;
wherein an output of the signal combiner is connected to a power detector;
wherein the power detector is connected to a controller;
wherein the controller is operable to determine a direction to a source of jamming; and
wherein the controller is operable to home a vehicle in the direction of the source of jamming by steering the vehicle to maximize output power of the signal combiner.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first signal path comprises a phase rotator and/or a tunable delay line.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second signal path integrates a fixed delay element.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first signal path comprises a first attenuator between the first antenna and a first phase rotator, and wherein the second signal path comprises a second attenuator between the second antenna and a second phase rotator.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second signal path integrates a second phase rotator between the second antenna and the signal combiner.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna array comprises a third antenna connected to the signal combiner via an interruptible signal.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to provide navigation data about the source of jamming to at least one device.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) processor, wherein the system is operable to navigate the vehicle with respect to location data from the GPS processor.
10 . A method for navigating with respect to at least one of navigation-aid signal and jamming thereof, comprising:
connecting a first antenna of an antenna array to a signal combiner via a first signal path;
connecting a second antenna of the antenna array to the signal combiner via a second signal path;
connecting an output of the signal combiner to a power detector;
connecting the power detector to a controller;
determining, via the controller, a direction to a source of jamming;
homing, via the controller, a vehicle in the direction to the source of jamming by steering the vehicle to maximize an output power of the signal combiner measured by the power detector; and
navigating, via the controller, the vehicle in the direction to the source of jamming.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting navigation data about the source of jamming to at least one device.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the direction to the source of jamming comprises calculating, via the controller, an anti-phase alignment between a signal of the first signal path and a signal of the second signal path.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein navigating the vehicle in the direction to the source of jamming further comprises interdiction of the source of jamming.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the interdiction of the source of jamming comprises colliding with, exploding proximate to, and/or emitting disabling signals at the source of jamming.
15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising self-destruction of the vehicle unless the controller receives a countermand instruction.
16 . A system for navigating with respect to at least one of navigation-aid signal and jamming thereof, comprising:
an antenna array comprising a first antenna and a second antenna; and
a computer processor;
wherein the first antenna is connected to a signal combiner via a first signal path, wherein the second antenna is connected to the signal combiner via a second signal path;
wherein an output of the signal combiner is connected to a power detector;
wherein the power detector is connected to a controller operable to home a vehicle in a direction to a source of jamming based on a power measured by the power detector;
wherein the computer processor is operable to assess a current location of the vehicle relative to a desired location and/or track;
wherein the computer processor is operable to instruct the vehicle to move so as to reduce a distance between the current location of the vehicle and the desired location or track; and
wherein the controller is operable to switch between navigation of the vehicle via the computer processor and homing the vehicle via the controller.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the antenna array comprises a third antenna connected to the signal combiner via an interruptible signal.
18 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising an interdiction device operable to be activated by the controller.
19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first signal path comprises a phase rotator and/or a tunable delay line.
20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the second signal path integrates a fixed delay element.