The Boeing Company
Solar enabled aerial deployed radio antenna system

Abstract:

An aerial deployed radio antenna system includes a primary aerial vehicle and a plurality of secondary aerial vehicles coupled to the primary aerial vehicle with a primary tether, wherein the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles are coupled to each other with a plurality of secondary tethers. The system also includes a radar-reflective sheet suspended between and supported by a plurality of cables coupled to the plurality of secondary aerial vehicles, wherein the radar-reflective sheet forms a parabolic reflector shape when deployed and towed by the primary aerial vehicle. A radar transmitter/receiver is positioned relative to the radar-reflective sheet to transmit radar signals toward the radar-reflective sheet and receive radar signals focused by the radar-reflective sheet, and a plurality of solar cells is positioned on the radar-reflective sheet. The plurality of solar cells are electrically coupled to a power collector configured to supply solar-generated electrical power to the radar transmitter/receiver.