9.1 - Flying Boresight Source for Improved Testing and Calibration of Tracking Antennas and Advanced Flight Path Simulations
- Event
- etc2014 - 34. European Telemetry and Test Conference
2014-06-03 - 2014-06-05
Nürnberg - Chapter
- 9. GNSS & Antennae
- Author(s)
- D. Haefner, A. Kimpe, L. Altenbuchner, P. Turner - DLR Mobile Rocket Base, Wessling (Germany)
- Pages
- 158 - 160
- DOI
- 10.5162/etc2014/9.1
- ISBN
- 978-3-9813484-7-7
- Price
- free
Abstract
The application of ground-based boresight sources for calibration and testing of tracking antennas
usually entails various difficulties, mostly due to unwanted ground effects. To avoid this problem, DLR
MORABA developed a small, lightweight, frequency-adjustable S-band boresight source, mounted on
a small remote-controlled multirotor aircraft. Highly accurate GPS-supported, position and altitude
control functions allow both, very steady positioning of the aircraft in mid-air, and precise waypointbased,
semi-autonomous flights. In contrast to fixed near-ground boresight sources this flying setup
enables us to avoid obstructions in the Fresnel zone between source and antenna. Further, it minimizes
ground reflections or other multipath effects which affect antenna calibrations. In addition, the large
operating range of a flying boresight simplifies measurements in the far field of the antenna and permits
undisturbed antenna pattern tests. A unique application is the realistic simulation of sophisticated
flight paths, including overhead tracking and unusual trajectories of fast objects such as sounding
rockets. Likewise, dynamic tracking tests are feasible which provide crucial information about the antenna
pedestal performance, particularly at high elevations, and reveal weaknesses in the autotrack
control loop.