Title :
NVIS synthesis for electrically small aircraft using characteristic modes
Author :
Chalas, Jeffrey ; Sertel, Kubilay ; Volakis, J.L.
Author_Institution :
ElectroScience Lab., Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH, USA
Abstract :
Characteristic modes are used to design a multi-antenna NVIS system on-board an electrically small UAV. By analyzing the radiation eigenmodes of the UAV platform, optimal NVIS patterns are constructed, and mounting locations which maximize desirable antenna-platform coupling are identified. The optimal NVIS pattern is then approximated using discrete monopole antennas as feeding elements. The excitation level of each feed can be inferred by relative excitation of each UAV characteristic mode in the NVIS pattern. Discussions on the pattern accuracy, bandwidth, and efficiency of this approach as a function of feeding element number will be presented.
Keywords :
aircraft antennas; antenna radiation patterns; autonomous aerial vehicles; eigenvalues and eigenfunctions; monopole antennas; NVIS synthesis; UAV platform; antenna-platform coupling; characteristic mode; discrete monopole antenna; electrically small aircraft; feeding element; mounting location; multiantenna NVIS system; near-vertical incident skywave; optimal NVIS pattern; pattern accuracy; radiation eigenmode; unmanned aerial vehicle; Antenna feeds; Antenna radiation patterns; Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions; Reflector antennas; Characteristic modes; HF antennas; NVIS; Q; electrically small antennas;
Conference_Titel :
Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium (APSURSI), 2014 IEEE
Conference_Location :
Memphis, TN
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4799-3538-3
DOI :
10.1109/APS.2014.6905041
