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 0:
1. An air deployable buoyant device for collecting and transmitting data on its location and the conditions in the air and on a body of water on a real-time basis, said device comprising:
a buoy;
a plurality of sensors associated with said buoy, wherein said sensors measure at least one condition in the air as said device is falling to the surface of a body of water, and at least one condition on the surface of a body of water, said sensors comprising two or more of the following:
a GPS unit;
an anemometer;
an accelerometer;
an altimeter;
a barometer; and
a thermometer;

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 as said device is falling to the surface of a body of water, and on the surface of 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; and
a parachute and a connecting structure for joining said parachute to said buoy, wherein said parachute is deployable as said buoyant device is falling to the surface of a body of water, and after the buoyant device reaches the surface of the water, the parachute serves as a sea anchor.