Horizontal Polarized DC Grounded Omnidirectional Antenna for UAV Ground Control Station

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Antenna Theory
• Aerospace Communications

Background:

• Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) require robust communication systems for ground control stations (GCS).
• Existing antennas may face limitations in achieving stable, omnidirectional polarization for UAV GCS applications.
• Horizontal polarization is often desired for specific communication link characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a new slot-based antenna design for UAV GCS.
• To achieve horizontal polarization with an omnidirectional radiation pattern.
• To evaluate the antenna's performance in terms of gain, polarization purity, and robustness.

Main Methods:

• Design and simulation of a slot-based antenna using oversize coaxial cylinders and slots.
• Integration of a slot-feed assembly for in-phase radiation.
• Analysis of antenna characteristics including azimuth gain ripple, S11, and polarization purity.
• Incorporation of a direct-current (DC) grounding for protection.

Main Results:

• The antenna produces horizontally polarized, omnidirectional radiation with a low ripple ±0.5 dB azimuth gain.
• Stable gain of +0.5 dB is maintained across the 2.55 GHz to 2.80 GHz operational band.
• Excellent polarization purity of -40 dB and S11 below -10 dB were achieved.
• The design offers aerodynamic and self-supporting structural advantages.

Conclusions:

• The proposed slot-based antenna is a suitable candidate for UAV GCS applications.
• Its stable omnidirectional pattern and high polarization purity enhance communication reliability.
• The integrated DC grounding provides essential protection against electrostatic discharge and lightning.