Frustum Shaped Conformal Antenna for Spinning Aerial Platform

Abstract

<p>A novel approach to design and develop frustum shaped conformal antenna for transmission of telemetry data from a missile like spinning aerial platform is described. The requirement necessitates for an omni directional radiation pattern in the roll plane. However, the criteria is not feasible to achieve by using a monopole or a dipole as the omni coverage due to these antennas are restricted only in yaw or azimuth plane of the aerial platform. A conformal antenna appropriately wrapped on to the surface provides potential solution and accordingly has been configured for meeting the requirements of a practical application. The antenna artwork has been designed to conform to the exterior geometry of the intended portion of conical surface and printed on a microwave substrate which is essentially thin and flexible. A corporate feed distribution scheme has been designed and tailored to match with the impedance of the microstrip radiator at multiple locations and also printed along with it making the frustum antenna very compact and of aerodynamic supportive form. The antenna produces required omni coverage in the plane normal to the roll axis. A step-wise method for the design and development of the frustum conformal antenna through simulation and experiment approach has been discussed.</p>