Design and Analysis of 2x2 Blade MIMO Antenna
for UAV Communication
Ardra George
Junior Research Fellow (JRF), CABS, DRDO
Bangalore, India
ardrageorge004@gmail.com
Abstract— Communication has a vital role in an unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV) mission. High data rate and reliability are
important in UAV-based communication. Multiple input and
multiple output (MIMO) communication increases data rate for a
reliability or increases reliability for a given data rate. A novel
two-antenna blade array with reduced mutual coupling between
two input ports for UAV application is proposed for IEEE 802.11
b/g/n and 802.16 Wi-MAX standards. This antenna can be used
in MIMO configuration. The proposed antenna consists of one
vertical monopole and a horizontal dipole with port-to-port
separation of nearly 0.60. The antenna elements are printed on a
FR-4 substrate. The operating band of the design is from 2.2 to
2.5GHz. Without the use of any isolation enhancement
techniques, using pattern and polarization diversities, the MIMO
antenna achieves high gain and good isolation. The proposed
MIMO antenna is investigated by simulation and measurements.
Keywords— Multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO), Vector
Network Analyzer (VNA), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV),
FiniteDifference Time-Domain (FDTD), Envelope correlation
coefficient (ECC), S-parameters (DG)
I. INTRODUCTION
An Unmanned Airborne System (UAS) mainly has two
basic types of communication links, namely control and non
payload communication link (CNPC-link) and data-link. CNPC
links are related to safe operation of UAVs. Highly reliable,
low-latency and secure two-way communications, usually with
low data requirement, are needed in CNPC link. Data-link is
to support mission-related communications. UAV-based
ubiquitous coverage, UAV-based relaying and UAV-based
information dissemination and data collection fall under data
link. The data link usually operates in HF, VHF, UHF, L, S, C
and K band of frequencies, and the choice is based on
application. High Data rate and high reliability are required in
data link and high reliability is required in CNPC link.
Multiple Input and Multiple Output (MIMO)
communication increases data rate for a particular reliability or
increases reliability for a given data rate. A MIMO system
consists of multiple antennas at transmitter and receiver. In
many systems, compactness is an important consideration in
designing MIMO antennas. When size is reduced, mutual
coupling will arise. The performance of MIMO antenna is
based on various parameters such as mutual coupling, and
envelope correlation coefficient (ECC). To obtain high
isolation and low ECC between antenna elements various
techniques have been reported. In [1], a novel neutral line
structure is inserted among four antenna elements to enhance
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isolation levels, even though the radiating elements are closely
spaced. In [2], a 4x4 MIMO antenna working in dual-band
achieved low mutual coupling by using a novel round patch
Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG) cell. These EBG cells are
placed in between the radiating patch elements of MIMO
antenna with different distances. In [3], a defective ground
structure (DGS) incorporated with two serial rectangle slots
and microstrip line feeding is designed to reduce the mutual
coupling of a 2x2 microstrip MIMO antenna. A low profile
three identical periodic crossing Electromagnetic Band Gap
structure was proposed by Tianqi Jiao et al. [4]. This
decoupling structure is placed in between the two antennas and
four slots are etched on each EGB structure and connected to
ground. A meander line slot is inserted in between two planar
monopole patch antennas as a decoupling element, which
enhances the overall array isolation level [5]. A dual band
antenna for smartphone application was reported in [6]. In this
proposed antenna, there are two symmetric antenna elements
and a folded dual inverted L-shaped ground branch. This
ground branch gives isolation. In [7], a separated cross shaped
isolation element for WLAN MIMO applications was
proposed. In [8], a novel printed MIMO Antenna with pattern
and polarization diversities was proposed.
In this letter, a simple and compact dipole and monopole
antenna combination designed on a blade structure as a MIMO
antenna is reported. This combination is suitable for UAV
application because of light weight, low volume and less drag.
This antenna was designed, simulated and manufactured and
simulated results were verified with experimental ones. The
antenna gives acceptable return loss in 2.2-2.5GHz band and
both elements are resonating at 2.4GHz. The two-element array
may be implemented as a MIMO antenna using a duplexer.
This MIMO antenna has polarization and pattern diversities.
By utilizing simultaneous orthogonal patterns and polarization
diversity among the two radiating elements, without the use of
any additional circuits and techniques, independent
uncorrelated signals are constructed on each antenna. A
prototype of 2x2 MIMO blade antenna is designed, fabricated
and tested for experimental verification.
II. 2X2 MIMO ANTENNA DESIGN
The 2x2 MIMO antenna is constructed on a blade structure,
which is a trapezoidal well–proven structure for airborne
applications which is specially chosen to fit on the UAV. The
aerodynamic profile of the antenna reduces air-drag and offers
light weight and low volume. MIMO antenna is designed to
typically operate in the frequency band of 2.2-2.5GHz, having
2.4GHz center frequency. This antenna has ability to withstand over the frequency band indicating satisfactory performance of
an input power up to 50watts. The vertical plane performance the structure. To achieve low mutual coupling between the two
is similar to that of a quarter-wave monopole and horizontal antenna elements, pattern and polarization technique is used.
plane performance is similar to that of a half-wave dipole. The
overall footprint of the MIMO system is 120mm x 72mm. Envelope Correlation Coefficient (ECC) gives an overview
of the amount of correlation among two antenna’s field
2x2 Blade MIMO antenna has a vertical monopole and a distributions. ECC can be well defined from the 3-D radiation
horizontal dipole. Both the antennas are constructed on a blade pattern, because it is mainly influenced by the radiation
shaped inexpensive FR-4 epoxy substrate whose dielectric pattern shape, polarization and relative phase of the fields
constant is 4.4 and thickness of 1.6mm. The dimensions of between the two antennas. ECC can also be calculated from S-
monopole and dipole antenna are shown in the Table 1. parameters by using the below given formula as in (1).
III. SIMULATION RESULTS AND Discussion = (1)
The MIMO antenna was designed and simulated using
CAD FEKO V.14. Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD)
method of analysis was used for obtaining the results. Fig.5 shows the ECC graph of MIMO generated in using
MATLAB. Assuming that the MIMO array will operate in a
The antenna array is constructed using two planar antennas, uniform multipath rich environment, from the value of
one is a monopole and other is a dipole as shown in fig.1. For S-parameter, the correlation coefficient () comes out to be
achieving low mutual coupling, the antennas are printed on the 35dB at 2.4GHz and the result can be clearly seen in fig.5 The
opposite sides of a FR-4 substrate (r = 4.4 and thickness of
1.6mm). Diversity Gain (DG) can be calculated using the formula as
in (2).
It can be seen in fig.1 there is a monopole element on the
left side and a dipole element on the right-side. The distance
between voltage source of monopole antenna and voltage DG = (2)
source of dipole antenna is 0.60 where 0= C/f. Here the
monopole antenna is vertically mounted and dipole antenna is
TABLE.1: DIMENSION VALUES OF A SINGLE ANTENNA.
horizontally mounted to implement polarization diversity as
can be seen in fig. 1. Dimensions (mm)
Parameter
Monopole Dipole
A. Scattering parameters
Active S-parameter results obtained from simulation are Length 0.188 0.15
shown in fig.2 and fig.3, where the word active is there to tell S
parameters were obtained with both antennas excited at the Width 0.064 0.08
same time. Fig.2 shows curves of S11 and S22 parameters,
where port1 and port2 are respectively of monopole antenna
and dipole antenna. Isolation between the two radiating
elements are quantified by S12 and S21.
S12 and S21 were equal to -21.7dB at 2.4GHz. fig. 3
shows the bandwidth of the 2x2 MIMO antenna with respect to
S parameters. Proposed antenna has a wide bandwidth of
18.6% with respect to S11 and S22, where benchmark for
bandwidth is -10dB. The bandwidth covers the entire ISM band
at 2.4 GHz. The VSWRs of individual antennas are shown in
fig. 4. From fig. 4 it is obvious that the VSWR of the antenna
at 2.2 - 2.5GHz is less than 2 for both the antennas.

IV. MIMO PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS

The performance of a planar printed MIMO array can be
characterized using various parameters such as mutual
coupling, ECC and Diversity Gain (DG). When two radiating
elements are closely packed, energy radiated from a radiator
will be absorbed by nearby element, leads to high coupling Fig. 1. 2-D structure of Two-element Array
levels. Like-wise, mutual coupling reduces the antenna
efficiency and significantly affects the MIMO system A. Radiation pattern and Gain
performance. Mutual coupling can be measured by antenna
isolation. The 3D Gain of combined MIMO antenna is shown in
Fig.6 The MIMO antenna is realized with maximum gain of 8
From the Fig.2 of active S-parameter, S12 and S21 are dB at 2.4 GH z. Fig. 7a and 7b show the 2D radiation patterns
same. The measured isolation is greater than or equal to -20dB of the antenna at 2.4GHz. Radiation pattern of monopole

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antenna is co - Sinusoidal as can be seen in Fig. 7a and that of a
dipole antenna is hemispherical pattern as can be seen in Fig.
7b. Based on these figures, it can be concluded that, because of
two different radiation patterns, correlation between the
antenna patterns will be minimized so that the proposed
antenna can provide good pattern diversity in a scattering - rich
environment. The E - plane and H - plane 2D radiation
patterns are shown in Fig. 8a and 8b respectively.

Fig. 2. Simulated Active S - parameter of the MIMO array

Fig. 4. Simulated VSWR plot of MIMO Antenna

Fig. 5. Envelope correlation coefficient

Fig. 3. Simulated S-parameter of the MIMO antenna

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 V. FABRICATION, PRACTICAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The MIMO antenna was fabricated on a low-cost double-
sided 1.6mm thick FR-4 substrate with dielectric constant 4.4.
The printed circuit board (PCB) height is taken as 120mm,
which is slightly less than the quarter wavelength. The
monopole and dipole elements were etched on the PCB using
photolithography technique. The PCB has a copper thickness
of 32μm and each of them was powered using a TNC Female
connector the testing of the fabricated antenna was done on
Agilent VNA (E 5071C). The photograph of the fabricated
antenna is shown in Fig.9. The measured S-parameter results
are shown in Fig.10. It can be seen that simulated and
measured results are almost same. Fig. 7b. 2D radiation pattern of planar dipole antenna

Fig. 8a. E-field radiation pattern of 2x2 MIMO Antenna

Fig. 6. 3D Gain of the 2X2 MIMO antenna

Fig.8b. H-field radiation pattern of 2x2 MIMO Antenna

Fig. 7a. 2D Radiation pattern of planar monopole antenna

Fig. 9. Photograph of fabricated antenna

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 [7] Emami-Forooshani , S. Noghanian “Semi-deterministic channel model
for MIMO systems Part-II: results “ IET microwaves, antennas &
propagation vol4 pp 26-34 2010.
[8] Per-Simon Kildal, Kent Rosengren, "Correlation and Capacity of MIMO
Systems and Mutual Coupling, Radiation Efficiency, and Diversity Gain
of Their Antennas: Simulations and Measurements in a Reverberation
Chamber", IEEE Communications Magazine, pp. 104-112, 2004.
[9] Naoki Kanada , Sumiya Yasuto , Naruto Yonemoto et al., “Connectivity
Evaluation for Unmanned Aircraft System using 5GHz WLAN”
Proceedings of ISAP 2012, POS2-47 Nagoya, Japan.
[10] A.J.Paulraj et al.,“An overview of MIMO communications—A key to
gigabit wireless,” Proc. IEEE, vol. 92, no. 2, pp. 198–218, Feb. 2004.
[11] A. Diallo and C. Luxey, “Estimation of the diversity performance of
several two-antenna systems in different propagation environments,” in
Proc. IEEE AP-S Int. Symp., Jun. 2007, pp. 2642–2645.
[12] H.S.Rad and S.Gazor,“The impact of non isotropic scattering and
directional antennas on MIMO multicarrier mobile communication
channels,” IEEE Trans. Commun., vol. 56, no. 4, pp. 642–652, Apr.
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Fig. 10. Practical active S-Parameter of 2x2 MIMO antenna

VI. CONCLUSION

In this work, a novel compact light-weight MIMO blade

antenna has been successfully designed and fabricated for
UAV applications. The 2x2 MIMO antenna is constructed
using a printed monopole and a dipole antenna having
orthogonal polarization and pattern diversity. The antennas
maintain a matching level of -10dB in the entire ISM band of
2.2-2.5GHz and resonate at 2.4GHz. Therefore, the proposed
system fulfils the requirements of IEEE 802.11 b/g/n and
802.16 Wi-MAX standards. This system can be implemented
in UAV for supporting its communication data-link which is in
IEEE 802.11n standard.

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