How to Choose a Drone Antenna?

　　How to Choose a Drone Antenna?

　　With the increasing demand for drones across various industries, the need for drone positioning accuracy is becoming increasingly demanding. High-precision positioning is the industry trend. For example, agricultural drones must precisely spray pesticides on crops, while inspection drones need to accurately locate abnormal locations. The quality of the satellite signals received by the antenna directly affects the positioning accuracy of the entire system. How can we judge the quality of drone antennas and choose the right one? We can use the following performance indicators to evaluate them.

　　1. Antenna Gain Bandwidth

　　The gain bandwidth of a passive antenna determines whether a drone can receive stable and reliable GNSS satellite navigation signals worldwide.

　　2. Antenna Low-Elevation-Angle Performance

　　During operation, drones may encounter various obstructions, and their flight attitude fluctuates significantly during takeoff, landing, or turns. This places higher demands on the drone antenna's satellite search capabilities at low elevation angles. Only an optimized antenna beam can significantly reduce the probability of a crash caused by positioning data anomalies.

　　3. Antenna Anti-Interference Performance

　　Anti-interference performance is a key indicator of antenna quality, and electromagnetic compatibility must be considered during antenna design.

　　4. Antenna Cable Outlet

　　The side-mounted RF cable outlet allows the antenna to be mounted on the fuselage or arm. However, the exposed cable compromises the waterproof design and poses a risk of stray radiation from the cable. The bottom-mounted RF cable outlet allows the antenna to be mounted on the fuselage or arm. Compared to the side-mounted outlet, the bottom-mounted outlet simplifies the drone's structural design, improves waterproof performance, and enhances anti-interference capabilities. In terms of long-term reliability, the bottom-mounted RF cable outlet is more stable and reliable.