# US 12,224,491 B2 · Aerial vehicle having antenna assemblies, antenna assemblies, and related methods and components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,491 B2 - Document ID: US12224491B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/457,223 - Filed: 2023-08-28 - Published: 2023-12-21 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-27 - Assignees: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation - Applicants: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation - Inventors: Mark Russell Goldberg; Harold Kregg Hunsberger; Helen J. Mills - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224491B2 ## CPC - H01Q 13/085: {Slot-line radiating ends} - F42B 15/34: Protection against overheating or radiation, e.g. heat shields; Additional cooling arrangements {(thermal protection fitted in or to cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/58)} - H01Q 1/281: {Nose antennas} - H01Q 1/405: {Radome integrated radiating elements} - H01Q 11/105: {using a dielectric support} - H01Q 21/064: {using horn or slot aerials (slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005)} - H01Q 21/20: the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path {(slotted waveguide arrays H01Q21/005; circularly or helically slotted waveguides H01Q21/0062)} - H01Q 1/02: Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out {; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - F42B: EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION (explosive compositions C06B; fuzes F42C; blasting F42D) ## Abstract An aerial vehicle includes a body and an antenna assembly mounted to the body. The antenna assembly includes a fairing component comprising a hollow body, a conductive coating formed on at least an inner surface of the fairing component, a plurality of antenna elements formed in the conductive coating, each antenna element including a first slot line defining a first transmission line and a second slot line defining a second transmission line, an insulator sleeve disposed within the fairing component, wherein an outer surface of the insulator sleeve at least substantially matches an inner surface of the fairing component, and a plurality of cable assemblies operably coupled to the plurality of antenna elements, wherein each cable assembly is coupled to a respective antenna element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aerial vehicle comprising: a housing comprising: a first portion including a first end and a second end axially distal to the first end; and a second portion extending radially outward from the second end of the first portion; an antenna assembly mounted to the housing, the antenna assembly comprising: a fairing component comprising a hollow body; a conductive coating on at least an inner surface of the fairing component; a plurality of antenna elements in the conductive coating, each antenna element comprising: a first slot line defining a first transmission line; and a second slot line defining a second transmission line; a plurality of cable assemblies, each of the plurality of cable assemblies operably coupled to a respective antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, each of the plurality of cable assemblies comprising: a first connector operably coupled to the respective antenna element adjacent to the first end of the first portion, a second connector extending through the second portion of the housing; and a connection cable operably coupled to the first connector and the second connector, the connection cable extending along the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second connector includes a connection for coupling the cable assembly to a control system of the aerial vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second connector includes an electromagnetic interference gasket configured to isolate an exterior of the housing from an interior of the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an inner sleeve positioned between the housing and the fairing component, the inner sleeve, the first portion and the second portion defining a cavity through which the connection cable of each of the plurality of antenna elements extends. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The aerial vehicle of claim 4, further comprising: an insulator sleeve within the fairing component, wherein an outer surface of the insulator sleeve at least substantially matches an inner surface of the fairing component; and an absorber sleeve within the insulator sleeve between the insulator sleeve and the inner sleeve, wherein an outer surface of the absorber sleeve at least substantially matches an inner surface of the insulator sleeve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the inner sleeve includes a wall including two overlapping portions that overlap circumferentially and that are configured to be free to move circumferentially relative to one another, an outward overlapping portion jogged radially outward relative to a remainder of the wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein the absorber sleeve includes a slot at an inner surface thereof and the outward overlapping portion received in the slot. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The aerial vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a connection ring within the fairing component, abutting the inner surface of the fairing component, and connecting the fairing component to the first end of the first portion of the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein the connection ring is aligned axially with connector contact regions of the plurality of antenna elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein the inner sleeve is coupled to and extends from the connection ring between the housing and the fairing component, the connection ring defining the cavity through which the connection cable of each of the plurality of antenna elements extends with the inner sleeve, the first portion and the second portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein the connection ring comprises a plurality of receiving structures, each receiving structure correlating to an antenna element and comprising: a stepped-circular recess: an aperture extending from a bottommost surface of the stepped-circular recess and through the connection ring; an alignment pin extending upward from the bottommost surface and abutting a sidewall of the stepped-circular recess; and two opposing wing recesses extending radially outward from the stepped-circular recess. ### Claim 12 A method of forming a portion of an aerial vehicle, the method comprising: forming a fairing component; printing a conductive coating on an inner surface of the fairing component; removing a portion of the conductive coating on the inner surface of the fairing component to define a plurality of antenna elements, each antenna element comprising: a first slot line defining a first transmission line; and a second slot line defining a second transmission line; operably coupling a first connector of each of a plurality of cable assemblies to a respective antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, each of the plurality of cable assemblies comprising: the first connector; a second connector; and a connection cable operably coupled to the first connector and the second connector; and coupling the fairing component to a housing, the housing comprising: a first portion including a first end and a second end axially distal to the first end; and a second portion extending radially outward from the second end of the first portion, wherein the first connector of each of the plurality of cable assemblies is coupled to the respective antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements adjacent to the first end of the first portion, and wherein the second connector extends through the second portion of the housing and the connection cable extends along the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising coupling a control system to the second connector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising positioning an electromagnetic interference gasket between the second connector and the second portion of the housing to isolate an exterior of the housing from an interior of the housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising positioning an inner sleeve between the housing and the fairing component, the inner sleeve, the first portion and the second portion defining a cavity through which the connection cable of each of the plurality of antenna elements extends. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: disposing an insulator sleeve within the fairing component, wherein an outer surface of the insulator sleeve at least substantially matches an inner surface of the fairing component; and disposing an absorber sleeve within the insulator sleeve between the insulator sleeve and the inner sleeve, wherein an outer surface of the absorber sleeve at least substantially matches an inner surface of the insulator sleeve. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the inner sleeve includes a wall including two overlapping portions that overlap circumferentially and that are configured to be free to move circumferentially relative to one another, an outward overlapping portion jogged radially outward relative to a remainder of the wall, and wherein the absorber sleeve includes a slot at an inner surface thereof, the method further comprising disposing the inner sleeve within the absorber sleeve with the outward overlapping portion received within the slot. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising disposing a connection ring within the fairing component, abutting the inner surface of the fairing component, and connecting the fairing component to the first end of the first portion of the housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising forming a termination pattern overlapping at least a portion of a boundary of a conductive coating on an outer surface of the fairing component. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein forming the termination pattern comprises forming the termination pattern with a resistive metallic material.