Evaluation of the influence of directivity factor of directive elements of conformal and planar antenna arrays on the performances of azimuth-elevation DOA estimation

Abstract

Abstract The conformal and planar antenna arrays with directive elements are ones with antenna elements located on twisted and flat surfaces and are of great interest for communication systems. The research of direction-of-arrival estimation method with superresolution MUSIC on conformal and planar antenna arrays of different configurations depending on directivity ratio of elements has been fulfilled. The root mean square error rate for one and multiple incident signals has been also has been calculated by simulations. The directivity ratio has been changed from 1 (omnidirectional antenna) up to 30 (high directive antenna). The number of antenna elements was the same and equal to sixteen. Microstrip elements are used having the width of substrate equal to λ/2, the gap between the elements missed. The scenario with one incident signal source was researched; its azimuth coordinate was changed from 0° up to 180°. The average root-mean-square-error (RMSE) along all the estimated coordinates was calculated and also the minimum and maximum value of the errors was taken into account in order to realize the dependence of the RMSE on the azimuth coordinate. The RMSE of multiple signal sources estimation has been calculated.