Lightning Strike Protection of Radomes

Antenna radomes on an aircraft are the most vulnerable external aircraft parts in the event of a lightning strike. The radome wall is made from dielectric materials, offering no EM screening of the antenna to the external EM fields associated with lightning or atmospheric storm conditions. The antenna structure presents a major electrical stress raiser and is a preferred target for a lightning strike. The protection of radomes is usually accomplished through a combination of several diverters of adequate type and length. Segmented and solid strips are two customary types and both aims to force the lightning arc path. However, the antenna pattern might be strongly influenced by protection schemes. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize overall protection characteristics. The experimental high voltage & high current procedures needed for a lightning protection design of an airborne radome for a typical UAV are presented.