Airborne Measurement of Instrument Landing System Signals using a UAV

摘要

A feasibility study to replaced manned-aircraft in-situ measurement of instrument landing system (ILS) signal strengths at commercial airports with an unmanned aerial vehicle platform was conducted. A ground station was erected to radiate the test ILS signals and measurement equipment, including receiving antennas and a spectrum anayzer, were mounted on a large octocopter UAV. Flight testing shows that measured signal uncertainty is significantly lower than that reported for manned-aircraft measurement. Residual uncertainty appears to be associated with pitch and roll changes of the UAV. Correction of the uncertainties using anechoic-chamber-measured radiation patterns of the UAV-mounted antennas is currently being investigated.