Improved Aeronautical Global Positioning System (GPS) Antenna Systems

GPS, while an integral part of modern guidance and communication systems, remains extremely vulnerable to disruption by interfering sources. RFI from Telemetry and Data Link antenna systems often causes severe degradation in the performance of GPSreceivers. Toyon Research Corporation proposes to solve this problem by using our proprietary EM/Power toolkit to design an antenna with a reception pattern shaped to mitigate interference. Our methodology will allow us to build an anti-RFI antenna that isrobust, inexpensive, and a drop-in replacement for existing GPS antennas. An antenna designed to mitigate RFI would allow for more sensors and transmitters to be placed on a single airborne test platform. The existing data links would be able to operate athigher power levels, and hence, higher data rates if receivers on the platform were less sensitive to RFI. This type of antenna would also be applicable for use on UAVs as well as commercial aviation.