Patent ID: 6929220

Claim:
A closed-loop control system for a high altitude platform, comprising: a beam former on said platform for generating a first beam and a second beam as respective first and second beacons; first and second beacon tracking sites for respectively acquiring and tracking said first and second beacons, said first beacon tracking site having a first gimbaled antenna and the second beacon trucking site having a second gimbaled antenna, said first and second tracking sites respectively generating a first set of azimuth and elevation data relative to tracking the first beacon with the first gimbaled antenna and a second set of azimuth and elevation data relative to tracking the second beacon with the second gimbaled antenna; and a processor for receiving said first set of azimuth and elevation data and said second set of azimuth and elevation data from said first and second beacon tracking sites, computing any errors between an actual position of said platform determined from the first set of azimuth and elevation data and said second set of azimuth and elevation data and a desired position of said platform, and generating and transmitting, to said platform, commands necessary to null the errors.