Analysis of Antenna Arrays in Command and Non-Payload Communication for Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the C-Band

This paper examines the use of the C band (5030–5091 MHz) for command-and-control (C2) communication with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). A channel plan is suggested and key system settings for C2 communication are tested. MATLAB simulations are used to evaluate system performance in free-space environments. Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) and Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) are measured at different UAS heights. Antenna arrays from single antenna up to $10\times 10$ arrays are analyzed to measure the Front-to-Back Ratio (FBR) and simplify the system. The study uses a 20 MHz bandwidth and considers a system load of 50 percent.