Design of a compact end-fire antenna for UAVs

• Main Author: Zhang, Hengrui
• Other Authors: Shen Zhongxiang
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/167268
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This project aims to design a microstrip Yagi antenna for UAV applications that is compact, lightweight, and capable of providing high gain and directivity. Through a series of simulations and analyses, the parameters of the antenna, including the length and width of the directors, the length of the driven elements, and the spacing between the directors, were optimized to achieve the desired performance. The resulting antenna has a broad bandwidth ranging from 2.38 GHz to 2.49 GHz, with a gain of 10.4dB, a peak S11 value of -26.31 dB, and VSWR values below 1.5, indicating good impedance matching and energy transfer. The gain pattern of the antenna is well-behaved with a clear directionality and minimal side lobes, indicating good antenna directivity. The project also highlights the importance of careful parameter selection and optimization when designing a microstrip Yagi antenna. Future work could focus on experimental validation of the simulation results and investigating the effect of environmental factors on the antenna's performance. Overall, the design of the microstrip Yagi antenna for UAV applications presented in this project provides valuable insights into the design and optimization of compact end-fire antennas for UAVs.