Aerial camera system, method for identifying route-related hazards, and microstrip antenna

An antenna comprising:

• a radiating patch layer;
• an aperture layer, wherein the aperture layer is conductive and defines an aperture;
• a first insulator layer sandwiched between the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer, wherein the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer are spaced apart from one another by at least a thickness of the first insulator layer, and wherein the first insulator layer has a low dielectric constant;
• a feed line that extends from past a first outer edge of the aperture layer to past the aperture and terminates before a second outer edge of the aperture layer that is opposite the first outer edge;
• and
• a second insulator layer sandwiched between the aperture layer and the feed line, wherein the radiating patch layer, the first insulator layer, the aperture layer, the second insulator layer, and the feed line are parallel to and stacked on top of one another.

An antenna comprising:

• a planar radiating patch layer, wherein the radiating patch layer is made of a first conductive metal;
• a planar aperture layer, wherein the aperture layer is made of a second conductive metal and defines an aperture;
• a first planar insulator layer sandwiched between the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer, wherein the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer are spaced apart from one another by at least a thickness of the first insulator layer, wherein the first insulator layer has a dielectric constant of no more than 1.5, and wherein there are no conductive elements disposed between the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer;
• a conductive feed line, wherein a long axis of the conductive feed line is transverse to a long axis of the aperture, and wherein the feed line extends from past a first outer edge of the aperture layer to past the aperture, the feed line terminating before a second outer edge of the aperture layer that is opposite the first outer edge;
• a second planar insulator layer sandwiched between the aperture layer and the feed line, wherein there are no conductive elements disposed between the feed line and the aperture layer, the second planar insulator layer comprises a hydrocarbon ceramic laminate material;
• a planar ground plane layer made of a third conductive metal;
• a third planar insulator layer sandwiched between the feed line and the ground plane layer, wherein the third insulator layer has a dielectric constant of no more than 1.5, and wherein there are no conductive elements disposed between the feed line and the ground plane layer;
• and
• a radome covering at least the radiating patch layer,
• wherein the radiating patch layer, the first insulator layer, the aperture layer, the second insulator layer, the conductive feed line, the third insulator layer, and the ground plane layer are all parallel to and stacked on top of one another.