Patent attributes
Methods and apparatuses provide surveillance of a convoy. At least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) obtains images around the convoy's position to provide information about potential hostile activity while the UAV follows a generally curvilinear path around the convoy as instructed by one of the convoy vehicles. Path planner algorithm software is executed by the controlling convoy vehicle in which position and velocity information regarding the unmanned aerial vehicle and the convoy are processed to determine values of control variables. The determined values are sent to the unmanned aerial vehicle over a wireless communications channel. The path of the surveillance vehicle may be changed in order to provide evasive measures to avoid an attack on the surveillance vehicle by an adversary.
