Integration of software defined radio on an unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The current market does not provide commercially available products of modular radios for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The goal of the project presented in this paper is to improve the usability of technology related to the functions provided by software-defined radios (SDRs) and UAVs, especially for radio frequency spectrum monitoring, migration and border control. The project focuses on integrating SDRs with UAVs, reception sensitivity, directional antennas, the precision of signal localization, and footprint reduction. The conducted activities resulted in a functional prototype of a large UAV, capable of carrying various equipment, and successful integration of SDR with the built UAV. This paper focuses on the technical aspect of integration between the two systems and their interoperability. Further, it provides an overview of the operational possibilities and limitations of the integrated systems.