Vertical Antenna Diversity for Drone Radio Propagation Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems in unmanned aircraft experience non-uniform and cyclic propagation losses due to interference between direct and reflected waves, which existing technologies like time-division transmission diversity require significant remodeling of drones.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication apparatus with multiple antennas arranged vertically apart by a predetermined length, utilizing selective diversity or maximum ratio combining to improve propagation loss by complementing signal phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If time-division transmission diversity is implemented by setting up two antennas of different heights on the transmitting side, then transmission loss is improved, but the drone structure requires drastic remodeling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by placing multiple antennas on the receiving side (controller) instead of the transmitting side (drone). This allows the ground station to handle the complexity of multiple antenna arrangements while the drone maintains its simple existing structure, thereby improving transmission loss without requiring drastic drone remodeling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a signal processing mechanism as an intermediary that combines signals from multiple antennas with different phases. This intermediary processing layer enables the system to exploit phase differences for loss reduction while keeping the physical antenna structures simple and compatible with existing drone designs.
2Loss of energy
If multiple antennas are arranged vertically apart by a predetermined length, then propagation loss is reduced by 20-30 dB, but the receiving device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial parameter of antenna arrangement by positioning multiple antennas at different vertical heights with a predetermined separation length. This parameter change creates phase differences in received signals that, when properly combined, reduce propagation loss by 20-30 dB while maintaining manageable device complexity through systematic signal processing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly reduces propagation loss by approximately 20-30 dB without remodeling the drone, enhancing communication reliability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an interference between the direct waves and the reflected waves causes a propagation loss
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a wireless communication apparatus including multiple antennas, multiple reception sections each connected to a corresponding one of the multiple antennas and configured to receive a radio signal through the corresponding one of the multiple antennas, and an adjustment section configured to generate a received signal by performing a reception process in reference to the radio signal received in plural number by the multiple reception sections, in which a first antenna and a second antenna included in the multiple antennas are a predetermined length apart in a vertical direction.