A Long-Range and Low-Cost Emergency Radio Beacon for Small Drones

The increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the commercial and recreational sectors has led to a heightened demand for effective recovery solutions after a crash, particularly for lightweight drones. This paper presents the development of a long-range and low-cost emergency radio beacon designed specifically for small UAVs. Unlike traditional emergency locator transmitters (ELTs), our proposed beacon addresses the unique needs of UAVs by reducing size, weight, and cost, while maximizing range and power efficiency. The device utilizes a global system for mobile (GSM)-based communication module to transmit location data via short message service (SMS), eliminating the need for specialized receivers and expanding the operational range even in obstacle-rich environments. Additionally, a built-in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver provides precise coordinates, activated only upon impact detection through an accelerometer, thereby saving power during normal operations. Experimental tests confirm the extended range, high precision, and compatibility of the prototype with common mobile networks. Cost-effective and easy to use, this beacon improves UAV recovery efforts by providing reliable localization data to users in real time, thus safeguarding the UAV investment.