Antennas and navigation of

UAV

p.saibabu
 CONTENTS
 Antenna types
 NAVSTAR global positioning system(gps)

 TACAN

 LORAN C

 Inertial navigation

 Radio tracking

 Way-point navigation
 ANTENNA TYPES
 Antennae of the same configuration are used both to
transmit and to receive radio frequency signals.
 An omnidirectional antenna is used at the UAV ,it will be

necessary to mount the antenna in a rotatable in order for

LOS to be maintained between CS and UAV for all
maneuvers of the UAV.
 Types of antennas
i. Quarter-wave vertical antenna
ii. Parabolic dish antenna
iii. Yagi-uda antenna

iv. Phased array

v. Micro strip (or) patch antenna etc.

 The quarter-wavelength antenna erected vertically is
vertically polarised,it is a omni directional antenna and
radeates at equal strength in all direction.
 Parabolic dish antennae, as the name implies as a pure
parabola, would reflect power from a point source
emitter out as a beam shown in figure (1) B
 The yagi-uda antenna contains only one active dipole
element backed up by a number of passive, reflector
element which modifies the basic radiation pattern to a
predominantly directional beam with, however ,small
side lobe radiation. the construction of yagi-uda is shown
on figure(2).
 The lens antenna works similarly to an optical lens in

focusing RF waves instead of light waves.

 NAVIGATION
 Navigation is the determination of the position and
velocity of the moving vehicle.
 The three components of position and three components of

velocity make up a six component of state vector that fully

describes the translational motion of the vehicle.
 navigation sensors may be located in the vehicle, in

another vehicle, the ground or in space.

 When the state vector is measured and calculated on

board, the process is called as navigation.

 When it is calculated outside the vehicle ,the process is

called as surveillance.
NAVSTAR(GLOBAL POSITIONING
SYSTEM)
 Global navigation satellite systems is the collective term
for those navigation systems that provide the user with a
three-dimensional positioning solution by passive ranging
using radio signals transmitted by orbiting satellites.
 The most well known is the Navigation by Satellite

Ranging and Timing (NAVSTAR) Global Positioning

System (GPS), owned and operated by the U.S.
government.
 The Russian GLONASS(global orbiting navigation

satellite system).
 GPS and GLONASS is a military funded programs of

USA and Russia respectively.

 The general architecture of GNSS includes the space,
control, and user segments.
SPACE SEGMENT
 The space segment comprises the satellites, collectively
known as a constellation, which broadcasts signals to
both the control segment and the users.
 In GPS, space segment comprises a constellation of 28

operational satellites in 6 orbital planes with four in each

plus four spare.
 These orbit the earth with a period of 11 hours 58

minutes, in nearly circular orbits of radius

26560Km(approx.) at an altitude of 20,200Km from
center of earth.
 This will ensure global coverage with 6 to 11

simultaneously observable satellites to users located

anywhere in the world at any time with redundancy over
minimum four satellites needed for position computation.
 The signals broadcasted(L- Band) by the satellites
incorporate both ranging codes and navigation data
messages.
 The ranging codes enable the user equipment to

determine the time at which the received signals were

transmitted, while a data message includes timing
parameters and information about the satellite orbits.
CONTROL SEGMENT OR GROUND SEGMENT

 The control segment, or ground segment, consists of a

network of monitor stations(6), one or more control
stations and a number of uplink stations(4).
 The monitor stations obtain ranging measurements from

the satellites and send these to the control station(s).

 The control stations calculate the navigation data

message for each satellite and determine whether any

maneuvers must be performed. This information is then
transmitted to the space segment by the uplink stations.
 Tracking of satellite.
 Orbit determination.
 Time synchronization of satellites.
 Monitoring the health of satellites.
USER SEGMENT

 The user segment called as receiver, Antenna forms only

part of each set of user equipment. The antenna converts
the incoming GNSS radio signals to electrical signals.
 These are input to the receiver, which demodulates the

signals using a clock to provide a time reference.

 The ranging processor uses acquisition and tracking

algorithms to determine the range from the antenna to

each of the satellites used from the receiver outputs.
 The navigation processor uses the ranging measurements

to compute a position, velocity, and time (PVT) solution.

GPS ERRORS
 Sources of error in the GNSS navigation solution include:
Differences between the true and
broadcast ephemeris (1m)
satellite clock errors, (2m)
signal propagation delays through the
ionosphere and troposphere, (5-15m)
receiver measurement error due to
delays in responding to dynamics,
receiver noise, (1m)
radio frequency (RF) interference, and
signal multipath.(3-5m)
COMPARISION BETWEEN GPS AND GLONASS
TACAN(TACTICAL AIR NAVIGATION)
 Military Omni bearing and distance measurement system
operating at 960 to 1215MHz.
 The following modifications are made to standard DME to
have TACAN:
 Parasitic elements rotates with 900 rpm, generating AM
at 15Hz with phase proportional to bearing.
 Nine other elements rotate at 900 rpm generating multi
lobe pattern at 135Hz to improve bearing accuracy.
 Because of higher freq. of operation antenna size is small and
supports mobile use.
 Both, distance and bearing are obtained from same equipment.
 Introduced by US and extensively used by US navy, Air force
and NATO countries.
 In airborne receiver both the 15 and 135Hz pulses are
compared to achieve bearing data.
 TACAN provides range information to all the aircrafts

having either DME or TACAN, but cannot provide bearing

information to civil A/C.
LORAN C(LONG RANGE RADIO
NAVIGATION)

 System developed during last world war, Earlier version is

standard LORAN or LORAN-A.
 Operating in higher medium frequency band around

2MHz and later development LORAN-C at 100KHz band.

 This is a pulse system where one ground station (slave)

transmits pulse with fixed delay after receiving from

another ground station( master).
 Airborne receiver observes the time difference of arrival

between both the pulse pairs from different ground pairs

and computes its location.
 The PRF is maintained in the region 20, 25, 33.5 Hz.

 The absolute delay is maintained greater than half of PRF.

INERTIAL NAVIGATION
 Inertial navigation is a technique for determining the
vehicle position and velocity its by measuring its
acceleration.
 Advantages' of inertial navigators is as follows,

i. its indication of position and velocities are

instantaneous and continuous.
ii. high data rates and band width are easily achieved.
iii. It is completely self contained so it is nonjammable.

iv. Navigation data is obtainable at all latitudes ,weather

conditions with out any need for ground stations.
BLOCK DIAGRAM OF INERTIAL
NAVIGATION
INERTIAL SENSORS

 Inertial sensors classifications ,

i. Gyroscopes
ii. Accelerometers
RADIO TRACKING

 One of the several means of navigating UAV is by

tracking radio.
 Operating at short ranges of the order 80-100 km.

 Where the line of sight contact between the ground/ sea

control station should be maintained.

 A transponder in aircraft which will receive, amplify and

return a signal form control station.

 the control station have transmit/receive antennae which

consist of two parallel mounted off-set directional

antennae.
 Command the rotation of the antenna system to bring the

signals into in phase.

 Rotation of antenna would be pointing directly to the
UAV and the UAV “azimuth” bearing relative to the
control station would be known.
 similarly for elevation necessary arrangement is needed

to maintain continuation of contact.

 In other means of maintaining direction in elevation if,

for example , the altitude of the UAV is known.

 The UAV and the CS antenna system have capability of

scanning in azimuth and /or elevation as appropriate.

 In the event of loss of radio link, the aircraft and CS will

be programmed to re-engage.
 If the contact was not resumed after a programmed time.

 The aircraft will also carry simplified INS in order for it

to be return to the neighbourhood of the CS.

If the loss due to failure of CS primary transmission,
recovery is done by using of a stand-by-short-distance
Omni-directional VHF link.
Radio tracking is particularly applicable to
1. over-the-hill battlefield surveillance
2. ground attack operations.
3. short range naval operations.
(over the beach surveillance missions).
WAY POINT NAVIGATION

 A waypoint is a point of reference that can be used for

location and navigation. Waypoints can be the specific
latitude and longitude of a location, a well-known
building or natural feature.
 Waypoints can also be physical things that hold

navigation devices: buoys in the ocean or satellites in the

sky.
 Using any of the above technologies to ascertain its

position, the UAV controller may direct the UAV to any

point within its range by one or more of three methods
 Direct control, manually operating panel mounted
controls to send instructions in real time to the UAV FCS
to operate the aircraft controls to direct its flight speed,
altitude and direction whilst viewing its progress from an
image obtained from the UAV electro-optic payload and
relating that as necessary to a geographical map
 Input instructions to the UAVFCS to command the UAV

to fly on a selected bearing at a selected speed and

altitude until fresh instructions are sent. The position of
the UAV will be displayed automatically on a plan
position indicator (PPI).
 Input the coordinates of way-points to be visited. The

way-points can be provided either before or after take-off