UAV-based pattern measurement of the SKALA

Abstract

A novel antenna pattern measurement technique has been recently developed exploiting the capabilities of a micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) as a far-field test-source. This technique is suitable for characterizing VHF antennas such as those for low-frequency radio astronomy. This paper presents some of the measurements recently performed on the Square Kilometer Array Log-periodic Antenna (SKALA), which has been selected as the receiving element for the Low Frequency Aperture Array (LFAA).