Composite Planar In Situ Antenna Measurements Using a Robotic Arm System

The increasing complexity of modern antenna systems demands flexible measurement solutions that overcome the limitations of conventional setups, particularly regarding advanced sampling schemes and portability. Robotic arm-based systems have emerged as a key option for implementing advanced antenna measurement techniques due to their flexibility. However, these systems face challenges such as positioning errors and restricted range of motion, which limit the size of the acquisition surfaces. This work presents a portable antenna measurement system that integrates a collaborative robot (cobot) mounted on a mobile platform with an Optical Tracking System (OTS) for in situ antenna characterization. To address the range of motion limitations, a composite plane technique is introduced, enabling the combination of individual measurement surfaces into a larger composite surface. These individual surfaces are acquired after manually repositioning the mobile platform, relying on the OTS data for precise alignment and compensation for probe displacements. The proposed system features a simple calibration procedure and post-processing techniques to correct positioning errors without requiring complex robot calibrations or additional hardware. The system has been experimentally validated through measurements in the X- and V-bands, demonstrating good results and highlighting its effectiveness, accuracy, and adaptability for advanced in situ antenna measurements.