Advanced RF aspects of UAVs
| Title | Προηγμένα Θέματα Ραδιοσυχνοτήτων για χρήση σε αυτόνομα εναέρια συστήματα / Advanced RF aspects of UAVs |
| Code | UAV015 |
| Faculty | Engineering |
| School | Electrical and Computer Engineering |
| Cycle / Level | 2nd / Postgraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter/Spring |
| Coordinator | Christos Antonopoulos |
| Common | No |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600024628 |
Programme of Study: DPMS Enaéria Aytónoma Systīmata
Registered students: 4
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KORMOS | Elective Courses | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Academic Year | 2025 – 2026 |
| Class Period | Spring |
| Faculty Instructors | |
| Instructors from Other Categories | |
| Class ID | 600293505
|
EPIChallenges
- European Values
Type Of Offer
- Disciplinary Course
Course Type 2021
Specialization / Direction
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
- Distance learning
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600293505
Language of Instruction
- English (Instruction, Examination)
Prerequisites
General Prerequisites
Knowledge of electromagnetic wave propagation.
Basic knowledge of antennas and microwaves.
Basic knowledge of linear algebra.
Learning Outcomes
Students will gain a comprehensive skill set in UAV RF communication, covering foundational RF principles, regulatory navigation, and frequency management. Proficiency will be developed in antenna design, radar and stealth technologies, as well as advanced techniques like beamforming and direction-of-arrival estimation. Exploration of cutting-edge technologies, including metasurfaces and neural networks, will prepare students to address real-world challenges, ensuring expertise in the complexities of UAV RF communication systems.
General Competences
- Apply knowledge in practice
- Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
- Adapt to new situations
- Work autonomously
- Work in teams
- Work in an international context
- Work in an interdisciplinary team
- Generate new research ideas
- Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
The course provides a deep understanding of RF communication in UAV systems. Essential concepts like electromagnetic wave propagation, frequency bands allocation, and international regulations governing UAV communications are explored. Antenna design principles are explored, encompassing metasurface-based structures and miniaturized antennas to address challenges specific to UAV size, weight, and power constraints. Radar technology, including radar cross-section reduction, beamforming and direction-of-arrival estimation, is a subsequent focus, providing insights into critical aspects of UAV functionality. The latter part of the course delves into advanced topics of direction-of-arrival estimation and beamforming methods, incorporating cutting-edge approaches, such as vector space analysis and neural networks.
The course consists of the following thematic units:
1. Introduction to RF communications in UAV systems
2. Frequency bands for UAV communication
3. Fundamentals of antenna design – antenna types
4. Metasurface-based structures
5. Miniaturized antennas
6. Radar technology
7. Radar cross section reduction
8. Beamforming techniques
9. Adaptive beamforming
10. Direction of arrival estimation
11. Direction of arrival estimation based on vector space analysis
12. Direction of arrival estimation and beamforming based on neural networks
13. Radio wave propagation – UAV altitude and its impact on communication range
Keywords
Antenna Design, Beamforming Techniques, Deep Learning, Direction of Arrival Estimation, Electromagnetic Waves, Frequency Bands, Metamaterials, Neural Networks, Radar Cross Section, Radar Technology, Radiowave Propagation, Stealth Technology
Educational Material Types
- Notes
- Slide presentations
- Book
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
Description
The teaching will take place through the online platform Zoom. This platform offers an interactive and flexible educational experience, allowing the instructor and students to participate in real-time, regardless of their location.
Features of Teaching via Zoom:
(1) Interactive Meetings: The educational sessions will include live presentations, discussions, and interaction between the instructor and students.
(2) Screen Sharing: The instructor will have the ability to share their screen to present slides, educational videos, or other content.
(3) Recordings: The sessions can be recorded, providing students the opportunity to refer back to important information and review the teaching.
(4) Easy Access: Students can join the meetings from computers, tablets, or smartphones, making the process flexible and accessible.
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 125 | 5 | ✓ | ||
| Total | 125 | 5 |
Student Assessment
Description
Written examination with (1) extended response questions and (2) problem-solving.
Student Assessment methods
- Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Formative)
- Written Exam with Problem Solving (Formative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
Fundamental RF and Antenna Theory:
1. Constantine A. Balanis, Antenna Theory: Analysis and Design, 4th edition, ISBN 978-1118642061, Wiley
2. David M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, 4th edition, ISBN 978-0470631553, Wiley
RF Communication Systems:
1. Andrea Goldsmith, Wireless Communications, ISBN 978-0521837163, Cambridge University Press
2. Bernard Sklar, Digital Communications: Fundamentals and Applications, ISBN 978-0130847881, Prentice Hall
UAV-Specific RF Topics:
1. Ronald Beard and Timothy McLain, Small Unmanned Aircraft: Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition, ISBN 978-0691149219, Princeton University Press
2. Walid Saad, Mehdi Bennis, Mohammad Mozaffari, Xingqin Lin, Wireless Communications and Networking for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles 1st Edition, ISBN 978-1108480741, Cambridge University Press
Advanced Topics (Metasurfaces, Beamforming, etc.):
1. Nader Engheta and Richard W. Ziolkowski, Electromagnetic Metamaterials: Physics and Engineering Explorations, 1st Edition, ISBN 978-0471761020, Wiley-IEEE Press
2. Frank Gross, Smart Antennas with MATLAB, Second Edition: Principles and Applications in Wireless Communication, 2nd Edition, ISBN 978-0071822381, McGraw Hill
Additional bibliography for study
1. Agbotiname Lucky Imoize, Sardar M. N. Islam, T. Poongodi, Lakshmana Kumar Ramasamy, B.V.V. Siva Prasad, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Cellular Communications, ISBN 978-3031083945, Springer
2. Dushantha Nalin K Jayakody, P. Muthuchidambaranathan, Rui Dinis, Stefan Panic, Integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Wireless Communication and Networks: UAVs and 5G, ISBN 978-3031038792, Springer
3. Mariya Ouaissa, Inam Ullah Khan, Mariyam Ouaissa, Zakaria Boulouard, Syed Bilal Hussain Shah, Computational Intelligence for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Communication Networks, ISBN 978-3030971120, Springer
4. Margot Deruyck, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV): Enabled Wireless Communications and Networking, ISBN 978-3036546636, Mdpi AG
Last Update
08-11-2024
