A Low-Profile Ultra-Wideband Spiral Antenna Array for Global Mid-band 5G Aerospace Applications

A low-profile, ultra-wideband beam steering spiral antenna array with complete coverage of mid-band 5G has been developed for aerospace applications. As 5G frequency bands have been allocated across the globe, the frequencies used by different regions has diverged (e.g. 3.4-3.8 GHz in the EU and 3.3-3.6 GHz & 4.8-5GHz in China). This provides a challenge for intercontinental aerospace communication as aircraft must be able to cover all frequencies. Here, an antenna array solution is presented that covers all the required frequency bands with only a single antenna system. This array consists of miniaturized spiral antenna elements which generates an axial beam from 3.3 GHz to 5 GHz. By placing this antenna in a 16-element array, it allows beam steering in elevation plane from 0 to 40 degrees across the bandwidth. While this is primarily developed for aerospace applications, this work could also provide advantages for ground vehicles and UAVs.