An antenna system including an array of conductors connected to a feed line, wherein the array is configured to (1) emit electromagnetic radiation in response to an input signal being input to the array through the feed line or (2) output an output signal to the feed line in response to electromagnetic radiation being received on the array; and a director disposed in front of the array, wherein the director has a first reactive load having a complex impedance that is tailored to increase a directivity of the antenna system by reactively loading the conductors.

A cone antenna has at least one resistor electrically coupled to the radiating structure of the cone antenna. The capacitor may be part of a resistor network that is electrically connected to the cone. One or more patches may be coupled to the resistor network which act as a capacitor. A feed card may be embedded within a ground plane to enable the exterior of an antenna assembly to be conformal with an outer surface of a platform carrying the cone antenna.

The embodiments described herein provide for composite panels that include elements that form one or more Radio Frequency (RF) antennas. The composite panels may be integrated along with other composite panels to form a composite structure for a vehicle. In some cases, the composite panels function both as elements of an RF antenna and as structural elements of the vehicle. In some cases, the composite panels function both as elements of an RF antenna and as a means for static charge dissipation. When operating as an RF antenna, the composite panels are inherently conformal with an outside surface of a composite structure.

A radar system to detect and track objects in three dimensions. The radar system including antennae, transmit, receive and processing electronics is all in a small, lightweight, low-cost, highly integrated package. The radar system uses a wide azimuth, narrow elevation radar pattern to detect objects and a Wi-Fi radio to communicate to one or more receiving and display units. One application may include mounting the radar system in an existing radome on an aircraft to detect and avoid objects during ground operations. Objects may include other moving aircraft, ground vehicles, buildings or other structures that may be in the area. The system may transmit information to both pilot and ground crew.

Systems and methods for a conformal planar antenna is described herein. In one example, the antenna can include an antenna layer, a microstrip layer, an antenna ground plane layer, a stripline layer, and a buried electrical via. The antenna layer can include an antenna element. The microstrip layer can include a microstrip. The stripline layer can include a stripline. The buried electrical via can be electrically connected to the microstrip and the stripline.

A conformal antenna having dielectric lenses disposed over the antenna elements is disclosed. The antenna comprises a circuit board having a composite dielectric. The composite dielectric includes an array of a plurality of antenna elements disposed on the top surface and a conductive ground plane disposed on the bottom surface. A conductor extends from an antenna input through the composite dielectric, the conductor forming microstrip with the bottom surface conductive ground plane. The top surface of the composite dielectric further comprises at least one dielectric lens, each dielectric lens disposed over only one antenna element of at least a subset of the plurality of antenna elements.

Embodiments of an airborne synthetic phased antenna array include a plurality of airborne antennas and phase shifters for the antennas. The antennas are operated coherently, and constant phase shifts between the antennas are maintained. In addition, methods for providing wireless communication services include providing a plurality of airborne platforms, providing RF antennas for wireless communication services and phase shifters for the RF antennas on at least two airborne platforms, and operating the phase shifters to maintain synchronous operation of the RF antennas.

Improved designs for an antenna system that facilitates narrowband and wideband radio frequency (RF) communications in a rotary aircraft are disclosed. The antenna system includes a RF front-end and a RF back-end. The front-end includes multiple RF components structured to transmit or receive RF communications as electromagnetic waves into three-dimensional space. These RF components form parts of at least one of the aircraft's rotor blades. Moreover, some of the RF components are of differing types, thereby causing the rotor blade to include multiple different types of RF components. The back-end, on the other hand, is located at a position other than the rotor blades and is connected with the front-end via the aircraft's rotary hub, which is connected to the rotor blades.

A radar system to detect and track objects in three dimensions. The radar system including antennae, transmit, receive and processing electronics is all in a small, lightweight, low-cost, highly integrated package. The radar system uses a wide azimuth, narrow elevation radar pattern to detect objects and a Wi-Fi radio to communicate to one or more receiving and display units. One application may include mounting the radar system in an existing radome on an aircraft to detect and avoid objects during ground operations. Objects may include other moving aircraft, ground vehicles, buildings or other structures that may be in the area. The system may transmit information to both pilot and ground crew.

Embodiments of an airborne synthetic phased antenna array include a plurality of airborne antennas and phase shifters for the antennas. The antennas are operated coherently, and constant phase shifts between the antennas are maintained. In addition, methods for providing wireless communication services include providing a plurality of airborne platforms, providing RF antennas for wireless communication services and phase shifters for the RF antennas on at least two airborne platforms, and operating the phase shifters to maintain synchronous operation of the RF antennas.