MUMBAI, India, May 29 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202611048908 A) filed by Manipal University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, on April 17, for 'a self-deploying ground node-assisted communication system for extending operational range of unmanned aerial vehicles.'
Inventor(s) include Keshav Rai; Keshav Dixit; Dr. Praneet Saurabh; and Dr. Ajay Kumar.
The application for the patent was published on May 29, under issue no. 22/2026.
According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "The present invention relates to a system and method for extending the communication range of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) without modification to onboard hardware. The system comprises externally mounted relay amplifier units strategically deployed between the UAV and its ground controller, forming a scalable multi-hop communication network. Upon reaching the limits of its communication range, the UAV autonomously releases a relay amplifier unit that functions as an intermediate transmitter, seamlessly integrating into the existing network infrastructure. Artificial intelligence algorithms analyze terrain features, signal intensity, GPS data, and real-time environmental conditions to determine optimal relay placement locations. Upon identifying a suitable position, the UAV descends and disengages the relay unit with precision. The system ensures reliable and uninterrupted communication across challenging environments, including dense forests, desert terrain, snowfields, and steep valleys. The invention offers a cost-effective, hardware-independent solution applicable to military reconnaissance, disaster response, and large-scale aerial surveillance operations."
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
