SYNTHESIS AND OPTIMIZATION OF INTELLIGENT ANTENNA SYSTEMS FOR UAV CONTROL AND VIDEO COMMUNICATION CHANNELS BASED ON SOFTWARE-DEFINED RADIO (SDR)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to develop and verify the architecture of a radio system for an unmanned aerial vehicle in which control and video transmission channels are integrated with an adaptive antenna array and a software-defined radio platform. The research methodology combines analytical modeling, numerical optimization, and flight experiments. The study proposes a structural scheme of an SDR-based system with separate subsystems for telemetry transmission, video communication, digital signal processing, phase control, and spatial configuration of antenna radiation. Channel parameters were evaluated using models of link power balance, signal-to-noise ratio, channel capacity, spectral efficiency, and spatial gain. The numerical stage included the analysis of spatial and frequency signal behavior considering multipath propagation, Doppler shift, and variation of the distance between the UAV and the ground control station. The experimental stage involved testing the radio link during flight under changing trajectory geometry and continuous updating of antenna array weighting coefficients. The obtained results demonstrate that adaptive beamforming increases spatial concentration of transmitted energy, reduces the influence of lateral interference signals, stabilizes the video stream, and maintains a reliable telemetry channel at extended communication distances.

The experiments recorded an increase in communication range compared with an omnidirectional antenna, a reduction in external interference levels, and a decrease in video quality degradation during UAV movement. The practical significance of the study lies in the development of a technical solution for onboard and ground UAV communication complexes requiring adaptive spatial signal control, rapid frequency reconfiguration, and resistance to interference. Scientific novelty is achieved through the integration of SDR control, digital beamforming, and an experimentally validated procedure for optimizing spatial and frequency characteristics of the radio channel within a unified communication system.