Design and analysis of a microstrip array antenna for unmanned target drone

Today, with the advancement of technology, unmanned aerial vehicles have started to play an active role in the defense units of countries. Unmanned aerial vehicles are effective because they reduce the risk of human casualties, are cost-effective systems and physically occupy less space. Due to the remote communication between the pilot and the unmanned aerial vehicle, the instantaneous and lossless data affecting the use is one of the important features that ensure the success of the mission in which the relevant vehicle is used. Unmanned target drones fall under the category of unmanned aerial vehicles and are generally used for training and testing purposes. Due to their smaller size compared to other members of the unmanned aerial vehicles class, they are highly maneuverable aircraft. In this thesis, a microstrip array antenna is designed and analyzed to reduce data loss during fast maneuvers of unmanned target aircraft. With the help of analytical methods, important factors in the design of microstrip antennas are evaluated. Basic antenna parameters are analyzed, and variables are determined according to the targets and requirements determined in the study. The center operating frequency of the designed antenna was chosen as 2.62 GHz. FR-4 was preferred as the dielectric material. Quarter-wavelength impedance matching is performed between the transmission line and the microstrip antenna to ensure maximum power transmission. After calculating the dimensions of the microstrip antenna, CATIA program was used for design. Simulations were performed with the help of the CST Studio Suite program, which works on the principle of finite integration technic. In the light of the results obtained, the designed microstrip array antenna was manufactured, and measurements were made in an anechoic chamber. As a result of the simulation, the reflection coefficient (S11) was -21.63 dB, while the measured reflection coefficient was -23.19 dB. Another important parameter, the standing wave ratio (SWR), was 1.18 in simulation and 1.14 in measurement.