Patent ID: 11970256
Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 6:
7. A method of providing information on the location of a device and conditions in the air and on the body of water for rescue personnel, said method comprising:
(a) deploying by air drop over a body of water, a first device for collecting and transmitting data on the conditions in the air and on the body of water, said first device comprising: a buoy; a weight joined to said buoy; a parachute joined to said buoy with a connecting structure, and said parachute is deployed during the air drop, and the first device is configured so that the connection between the buoy and the parachute is released and the weight is configured so that the buoy and weight will approximate the movement of a person on a body of water without a life raft; and a plurality of sensors associated with said buoy, wherein said sensors measure at least one local condition on a body of water, said sensors comprising at least two of the following: a GPS device; an accelerometer; an altimeter; a barometer; and a thermometer; and a transmitter associated with said buoy, said transmitter being in communication with said sensors, and adapted to transmit data on the location of the device and the conditions in the air and on a body of water on a real-time basis to at least one receiver, which receiver is located over the horizon or in line of sight with the device;
(b) measuring with the device, the wind direction and velocity at preselected intervals during the descent of said device during its air drop, and transmitting the data on wind direction and velocity to a receiver;
(c) when the device is on the surface of the water, measuring with the device and collecting data on: the location of the device; the wind speed and direction above the body of water; atmospheric pressure above the body of water; wave height and wave motion, and transmitting the data collected to a receiver; and
(d) said method further comprises deploying by air drop over the body of water, a second device for collecting and transmitting data on the conditions in the air and on the body of water, said second device also comprising a parachute wherein said parachute functions as a sea anchor when said second device is on the surface of the water, and the buoy, weight, and sea anchor will approximate the movement of a person on a body of water in a life raft.