Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for escorting small unmanned aircraft (herein drones). An escorting drone approaches the escorted drone and transmits to it an escort signal. In an embodiment, the escort signal is a GNSS signal fashioned to be the same as the GNSS signal that would be received by the escorted drone, other than being slightly stronger in signal strength and having slightly altered component delays. In another embodiment, the escort signal is a radio frequency control channel signal. Escorting may be utilized to guide a drone from a preprogrammed point to a docking zone in a droneport; to guide a drone though an urban canyon or inside a building where GNSS signals are not reliably received; to retrieve a drone with which communications has been lost; or to escort a drone to safety out of a no-flight zone such as around an airport.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for escorting small unmanned aircraft (herein drones). An escorting drone approaches the escorted drone and transmits to it an escort signal. In an embodiment, the escort signal is a GNSS signal fashioned to be the same as the GNSS signal that would be received by the escorted drone, other than being slightly stronger in signal strength and having slightly altered component delays. In another embodiment, the escort signal is a radio frequency control channel signal. Escorting may be utilized to guide a drone from a preprogrammed point to a docking zone in a droneport; to guide a drone though an urban canyon or inside a building where GNSS signals are not reliably received; to retrieve a drone with which communications has been lost; or to escort a drone to safety out of a no-flight zone such as around an airport.