St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University and its research teams have unveiled flexible microwave antennas designed for drone control. The development was described to the press as a family of lightweight, compact antennas capable of commanding drones of different types and purposes while transmitting live video feeds.
According to Yury Antonov, Associate Professor in the Department of Theoretical Foundations of Radio Engineering, these antennas enable reliable drone control and video transmission. The university noted that while foreign versions exist, recent geopolitical developments have shown that external suppliers may refuse to collaborate with drone manufacturers at short notice.
The new antennas are intended for rapid, scalable domestic production. The university highlighted that they can be manufactured in small lots for industrial partners, leveraging local supply chains and cost-effective materials.
Manufacturing relies on inexpensive components such as brass and PVC, along with common fabrication methods like laser cutting of metals. A circular antenna array was developed to keep the design flexible and adaptable. By adjusting the position of individual array elements, technicians can retune the system to the operating frequency of a given drone multiple times more quickly than conventional setups.
Antennas produced with widely available assembly techniques and domestic components can be brought to mass production with minimal lead times.
Earlier LETI projects have included an artificial intelligence system capable of generating visual art in the styles of Monet and Arkady Rylov, showcasing the university’s broader research capabilities.