A multi-band smart skin antenna design for flight demonstration

This paper suggests a new design of a conformal load-bearing antenna structure for aircraft communication and navigation. We designed a multi-layered structure to reduce the antenna size and weight and to improve the antenna performance. The layers are composed of housing, honeycomb, radiator, face-sheet and copper mesh sheets. The radiator is made of magneto-dielectric material and radiating element. The radiating element has a log periodic slot configuration and inserted into the magneto-dielectric material. The fabricated prototype was verified if the antennal and structural performance met the requirements by ground evaluation procedures. Finally, the prototype was installed into an aircraft for temporary purpose. Flight demonstration tests were performed to check the stable operation of the antenna.