SmartAntenna: Enhancing Wireless Range with Autonomous Orientation
Michael Swann, Pedro Machado, Isibor Kennedy Ihianle, Salisu Yahaya, Farbod Zorriassatine, Andreas Oikonomou
TL;DR
This work addresses extending wireless communication range by autonomously orienting an antenna using a gimbal-based tracker integrated with HC-12 transceivers. It presents a two-device prototype (base Raspberry Pi 3 and portable Arduino Nano) with GPS and barometric sensing, tested for throughput, latency, and range under multiple HC-12 modes and antenna configurations, and managed via a ZMQ/WebSockets/Django stack. Results show near-wired throughput but limited practical range (roughly 60 m on HC-12 in tests), with marked range gains when using Unity Gain and Yagi-Uda antennas (to ~131–138 m); latency remains a constraint, especially for real-time control. The study demonstrates the feasibility of autonomous orientation for range extension, while highlighting hardware limitations and suggesting future work to replace or augment HC-12 with more robust radios and to incorporate omnidirectional tracking for diverse deployment scenarios (aerial, terrestrial, underwater) in noisy bands.
Abstract
The SmartAntenna proposes a novel approach to extend wireless communication, focusing on autonomous orientation to extend range and optimize performance. Through meticulous evaluation, various aspects of its functionality were assessed, revealing both strengths and areas for improvement. Notably, the antenna tracking mechanism exhibited remarkable efficacy. The SmartAntenna demonstrated robust functionality throughout extensive testing, underscoring its reliability even amidst complex operational scenarios. However, challenges emerged during target tracking, particularly evident in 360-degree sweeps, necessitating further refinement to enhance accuracy. Despite reliance on the HC-12 module, LoRa, performance limitations surfaced, prompting concerns regarding its suitability for production systems, especially within noisy frequency bands. Nevertheless, the SmartAntenna's adaptability across various wireless technologies holds promise, opening avenues for extended communication ranges and diverse applications. SmartAntenna research contributes valuable insights into optimizing wireless communication systems, paving the way for enhanced performance and expanded capabilities in diverse operational environments.