Embodiments of the invention are directed to an unmanned air vehicle (UAV)
system and a small unmanned air vehicle (SUAV) system for deploying and
towing a sensor in a tow medium, and to methods related thereto. A
UAV-sensor towing package comprises a fixed-wing UAV including a control
and signal processing platform, a long range data RF link operably
connected to the control and signal processing platform, a UAV wireless
data link operably connected to the control and signal processing
platform, and a tow body deployment system operably connected to the
control and signal processing platform; a tow line attached at an end
thereof to the UAV; a tow body attached to another end of the tow line;
and a communications link including a transmitter/receiver component
coupled to the tow line, and a T/R wireless data transmission link (194)
operably connected with the transmitter/receiver component and the UAV
wireless data link.