Compact-size Lightweight Beam-reconfigurable ESPAR Antenna with Parasitic Elements for UAV Applications

Abstract

This paper presents a compact lightweight beam-reconfigurable antenna system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The antenna system consists of a central active monopole element surrounded by eight parasitic elements, which can be controlled using PIN diodes to switch the beam across four elevation angles and eight azimuth beams. This beam-reconfigurable antenna system has several advantages over traditional UAV antennas, including light weight, efficiency, and compactness. The antenna system operates at 5.09 GHz and achieves a measured peak gain of 4.55 dBi, with a remarkably low weight of 9 g and a size of 1.00 lambda(0 )x 1.00 lambda(0)x 0.22 lambda(0).