Provided are methods and systems for multiband wireless data transmission between aircraft and ground systems. The transmission uses different wavelength ranges, each wavelength range corresponding to a different data domain and establishing a different communication channel. This wavelength differentiation provides physical separation between different data domains and, as a result, improves data security. Furthermore, a single broadband antenna is used on the exterior of the aircraft for transmitting data sets from different data domains. The single antenna configuration reduces drag and weight and improves structural integrity of the aircraft in comparison to multi-antenna configurations. Different aircraft communication modules, which are connected to different aircraft systems, handle different data domains and operate at different wavelength ranges. These modules are connected to the same antenna using a multiplexer. This connection may be controlled using gate devices and may be conditioned on verification of communication channel availability, security status, and other factors.

An antenna system can include a first panel of radiators that extend from a vertex in a first substantially linear direction. The antenna system can also include a second panel of radiators extending from the vertex in a second substantially linear direction. The first panel of radiators and the second panel of radiators form an angle between about 1 degree and about 45 degrees to enhance gain.

A fixed beam ramp electromagnetic band gap (EBG) antenna including a radiating element and an electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structure both disposed within a ramped cavity. The cavity is designed with the ramp leading to the EBG structure disposed about a base of the cavity. The radiating element can be disposed above the EBG structure and the EBG structure may have a plurality of unit cells. The EBG structure can be provided both, horizontally on the floor of the cavity and vertically along a back wall of the cavity. The use of both horizontal and vertical EBG structures combined with the ramped cavity increases the bandwidth and enhances the beam steering of the antenna system.

A surface card antenna apparatus comprises a single circuit board having a major side surface. The surface card antenna apparatus further comprises a horizontal polarization antenna portion mounted on the major side surface of the single circuit board. The surface card antenna apparatus also comprises a vertical polarization antenna portion mounted on the major side surface of the single circuit board.

An air-to-ground network communication device may include a conductive groundplane and an antenna element. The conductive groundplane may be disposed to be substantially parallel to a surface of the earth. The antenna element may extend substantially perpendicularly away from the groundplane and may have an effective length between about 1, to about 1.5. The antenna element may be disposed at a distance of about 0.5 to about 1 from the groundplane.

A flying machine or other vehicle includes at least two antenna units and a central control unit. In a first mode of operation, the two antenna units send and/or receive signals independent of each other in different, non-overlapping frequency bands. The central control unit is adapted to control the two antenna units in a second mode of operation such that the two antennas transmit and/or receive a common signal in a common frequency band using a Multiple Input Multiple Output transmission technique.

An aircraft radome includes a composite structure including, or according to the circumstances configured to define, at least one housing extending along the radome from a base of the radome. The housing receives an electrically conductive strip in contact with an inner surface of an outer wall, or according to the circumstances flush with the outer wall, of the composite structure. A conductive base is situated in the region of the radome base and connected to a ground of the aircraft. The composite structure of the radome is devoid of any perforations or through-passages in the region of the electrically conductive strip, and a first end of the electrically conductive strip is in contact with the conductive base.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for an electromagnetic (EM) panel are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a disclosed electromagnetic (EM) panel comprises an outer skin, an inner skin, a core disposed between the outer skin and the inner skin, and at least one receiver to receive at least one first signal. In at least one embodiment, at least one receiver is disposed within an opening on the outer skin of the EM panel. At least one receiver is an optical sensor(s) and/or a radio frequency (RF) antenna(s). In one or more embodiments, the EM panel further comprises at least one transmitter to transmit at least one second signal. In at least one embodiment, at least one transmitter is disposed within an opening on the outer skin of the EM panel. At least one transmitter is a laser(s) and/or a RF antenna(s).

Antenna elements are disclosed herein that include a metallic square ring patch and a metallic square ring slot to transmit or receive radio frequency (RF) signals. The disclosed antenna elements use several dielectric layers that are separated by two low-dielectric foam layers. The square ring patch is located above an upper foam layer, and a square ring slot is located between the upper foam layer and a bottom foam layer. Electrical feed lines are used to either supply electrical power to the antenna elements cells or output RF signals that are received by the square ring patch. The disclosed antenna elements may be arranged together in an antenna array that is tunable to collectively generate or receive RF signals.

A GNSS antenna system for receiving GNSS signals in the L1 and L2/L5 frequency band, and to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising the GNSS antenna system.