Low Profile, Very Wide Bandwidth Aircraft Communications Antennas Using Advanced Ground-Plane Techniques

The objective of this SBIR effort is to develop controlled-impedance ground planes with reduced weight and thickness, and apply them antennas capable of operation at frequencies from 30 MHz to 600MHz without significant impact on aerodynamics, and designed to occupy the smallest practical surface area at the lowest weight practical. Important specifications are vertical polarization in the horizontal plane, the ability to handle 100 Watts of input power at 100 percent duty cycle from a combination of several radio sets operated simultaneously, and a nominal voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of 1.5:1 or less (2:1 maximum). The proposed antenna should not require modification of the existing aircraft skin beyond penetrations for fasteners and the antenna feed port. To meet the objective of this Phase I effort and demonstrate the feasibility of an extremely low-profile antenna design for operating from 30 to 600 MHz, we propose a novel approach with almost zero thickness. During Phase I, various antenna configurations will be studied suitable for various applications.