Patent US 4,359,739

A method and apparatus are described for navigating an object, such as an aircraft, through a loitering path with respect to a central station, such as a ground station, which transmits timing signals for use in determining range therefrom. In the described method and apparatus, the object being navigated receives the timing signals and produces range signals indicating its range from the central station, inputs the range signals to a computer programmed to produce therefrom heading signals effective to navigate the object through a predetermined loitering path, and applies the heading signals to heading control means carried by the object to thereby navigate the object through the predetermined loitering path. The loitering path may be any continuous closed-loop curve spacially related to the central station, the preferred embodiment being a circular loitering path.