Systems and methods for obtaining location data

1. A method comprising:

determining first positioning information for a data delivery vehicle based at least in part on a plurality of positioning signals received at the data delivery vehicle from a set of satellites of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS);

detecting at least one of a loss of reception and a degradation in quality of reception of the plurality of positioning signals from the set of satellites, wherein the data delivery vehicle is disposed in a docked configuration with a remote vehicle;

launching, responsive to the at least one of the loss and the degradation, the data delivery vehicle in termination of the docked configuration with the remote vehicle;

obtaining relative position information associated with a position vector from the data delivery vehicle to the remote vehicle, the remote vehicle being unable to receive the plurality of positioning signals from the set of satellites;

determining second position information for the remote vehicle based at least in part on the first positioning information and the relative position information; and

transmitting the second positioning information to the remote vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the position vector from the data delivery vehicle to the remote vehicle is defined in accordance with one of a global and a local coordinate system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the position vector is established based at least in part on a distance and a directional measurement in accordance with a sensor device housed in the data delivery vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the sensor device comprises at least one of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor device, a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor device, an infrared optical sensor device, and a camera.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the second positioning information for the remote vehicle in accordance with a global coordinate system consistent with the first positioning information as determined from the plurality of positioning signals received from the set of satellites.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the loss and the degradation is precipitated by at least one of occlusion, a gradual loss of power, a catastrophic loss of power, ionospheric scintillation, Doppler shift, multipath, jamming, spurious satellite transmission and antenna effects.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

navigating, by the data delivery vehicle, to a location that re-establishes reception of the plurality of positioning signals in accordance with a minimum threshold quality of reception thereof; and

establishing communication, in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, with the remote vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising transmitting the second positioning information to the remote vehicle in accordance with the wireless communication protocol, said wireless communication protocol being different from a GNSS communication protocol that establishes the first positioning information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the data delivery vehicle comprises an autonomous aerial drone.

10. An aerial data delivery vehicle comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, the memory including instructions executable in the processor, the instructions when executed in the processor causing operation comprising:

determining first positioning information for a data delivery vehicle based at least in part on a plurality of positioning signals received at the data delivery vehicle from a set of satellites of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS);

detecting at least one of a loss of reception and a degradation in quality of reception of the plurality of positioning signals from the set of satellites, wherein the data delivery vehicle is disposed in a docked configuration with a remote vehicle;

launching, responsive to the at least one of the loss and the degradation, the data delivery vehicle in termination of the docked configuration with the remote vehicle;

obtaining relative position information associated with a position vector from the data delivery vehicle to the remote vehicle, the remote vehicle being unable to receive the plurality of positioning signals from the set of satellites;

determining second position information for the remote vehicle based at least in part on the first positioning information and the relative position information; and

transmitting the second positioning information to the remote vehicle.

11. The aerial data delivery vehicle of claim 10 wherein the position vector from the data delivery vehicle to the remote vehicle is defined in accordance with one of a global and a local coordinate system.

12. The aerial data delivery vehicle of claim 10 wherein the position vector is established based at least in part on a distance and a directional measurement in accordance with a sensor device housed in the data delivery vehicle.

13. The aerial data delivery vehicle of claim 12 wherein the sensor device comprises at least one of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor device, a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor device, an infrared optical sensor device, and a camera.

14. The aerial data delivery vehicle of claim 10 further comprising determining the second positioning information for the remote vehicle in accordance with a global coordinate system consistent with the first positioning information as determined from the plurality of positioning signals received from the set of satellites.

15. The aerial data delivery vehicle of claim 10 wherein the at least one of the loss and the degradation is precipitated by at least one of occlusion, a gradual loss of power, a catastrophic loss of power, ionospheric scintillation, Doppler shift, multipath, jamming, spurious satellite transmission and antenna effects.

16. The aerial data delivery vehicle of claim 10 further comprising:

navigating, by the data delivery vehicle, to a location that re-establishes reception of the plurality of positioning signals in accordance with a minimum threshold quality of reception thereof; and

establishing communication, in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, with the remote vehicle.

17. The aerial data delivery vehicle of claim 16 further comprising transmitting the second positioning information to the remote vehicle in accordance with the wireless communication protocol, said wireless communication protocol different from a GNSS communication protocol that establishes the first positioning information.

18. A computer readable non-transitory memory including instructions executable in a processor, the instructions when executed in the processor causing operations comprising:

determining first positioning information for a data delivery vehicle based at least in part on a plurality of positioning signals received at the data delivery vehicle from a set of satellites of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS);

detecting at least one of a loss of reception and a degradation in quality of reception of the plurality of positioning signals from the set of satellites, wherein the data delivery vehicle is disposed in a docked configuration with a remote vehicle;

launching, responsive to the at least one of the loss and the degradation, the data delivery vehicle in termination of the docked configuration with the remote vehicle;

obtaining relative position information associated with a position vector from the data delivery vehicle to the remote vehicle, the remote vehicle being unable to receive the plurality of positioning signals from the set of satellites;

determining second position information for the remote vehicle based at least in part on the first positioning information and the relative position information; and

transmitting the second positioning information to the remote vehicle.