Patch Antennas for UAV & AGV

Patch antennas, also known as microstrip or planar antennas, are a form of antenna consisting of two sheets of metal, one acting as a ground plane, with a dielectric made of a material such as ceramic.

The antenna needs to be designed in such a way that the length is close to half the wavelength of the desired radio waves. As wavelength and frequency are related, this means that patch antennas are practical for picking up frequencies that would not require the dimensions to be too large.

With this in mind, patch antennas can be used for a variety of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) and robotics applications. These include radio communications for drone command and control as well as video and payload data transmission, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and GNSS/GPS navigation.

Directional & Phased Array

Horizontally Polarized Directional Patch Antenna by Southwest Antennas

Patch antennas are directional in nature, meaning that they need to be pointed in the direction of the corresponding transmitter or receiver for maximum gain. They may be linearly or circularly polarized.

Multiple patch antennas can be combined to form a phased array antenna that uses electronic beam steering to effectively track and maintain line of sight with a transmission or reception target. This is particularly advantageous for drones, which may be constantly moving, changing direction, and performing dynamic flight maneuvers.

Low-SWaP Design

Thanks to their flat low-profile construction and relatively low weight, patch antennas can be highly suitable for low-SWaP (size, weight and power) drone designs, and are less likely to snag on obstacles compared to other antenna designs.

Drone patch antennas can also be constructed directly onto a PCB (printed circuit board), allowing them to fit easily into space-constrained designs.