A Deformation‐Tolerant Flexible Conformal Antenna Array for Aerostat Platforms

ABSTRACT Aerostats, operating persistently in near‐space, have garnered attention in remote sensing, communication relay, and disaster monitoring applications. Integrating large‐area conformal antenna arrays onto their envelope surfaces can enhance electromagnetic functionality while reducing the aerodynamic and structural penalties of externally mounted rigid antennas. However, deformation of the flexible envelope may alter the antennas’ geometry, input matching, and radiation characteristics. A deformation‐tolerant flexible conformal antenna array for near‐space aerostats is developed and mechanically and electromagnetically characterized under wind loading, cyclic bending, controlled curvature, and aerostat inflation. The sixteen‐element antenna array is integrated onto four aerostat models (scale, dolphin‐shaped, jellyfish‐shaped, and disc‐shaped). Across the four platforms, the largest within‐platform variation in measured |S 11 | among the tested inflation states is 1.12 dB. Radiation‐pattern measurements reveal configuration‐dependent changes in gain, sidelobe level, and half‐power beamwidth after platform integration. Ground and low‐altitude flight tests demonstrate orientation‐dependent microwave signal reception, showing the potential of the array for near‐space communication and directional microwave sensing.