Control of the Antenna Radiation Pattern for Radiomonitoring Systems

Remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) are an important component of the aviation system. RPAS systems are based on cutting-edge developments in aerospace technologies, offering advancements, which may open new and improved civil/commercial applications as well as improvements to the safety and efficiency of all civil aviation. The safe integration of RPAS into non-segregated airspace is a long-term activity with many stakeholders adding their expertise on such diverse topics as technologies for detect and avoid systems, frequency spectrum (including its protection from unintentional or unlawful interference), separation standards from other aircraft and development of a robust regulatory framework. For this purpose, current radio monitoring systems should be improved, and new systems should be developed. This paper investigates the principle of controlling the position of directivity pattern for a radiomonitoring antenna array with a small number of elements. Dependence of the directivity pattern shape on the number of the antenna array elements and the phase shift between them was researched. Based on these results, we conclude that for radio monitoring systems, it is advisable to choose the mechanical control method that is carried out stepwise and smoothly.