Electromagnetic radiation effects on inter-UAV data links

This study investigates the electromagnetic radiation effects on inter-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data links in ad hoc networks within complex electromagnetic environments through theoretical and experimental approaches. Using the Autel V3E UAV as the test subject, the bit error rate performance of a frequency-hopping/16QAM system under noise jamming was theoretically analyzed, revealing the intrinsic relationship between electromagnetic interference parameters (frequency offset and bandwidth) and the system’s loss-of-lock threshold. Through electromagnetic irradiation experiments, a novel cross-module interference mechanism, termed “back-door coupling,” was discovered and validated. This mechanism demonstrates that out-of-band interference at 1.22 GHz can effectively disrupt the 2.4 GHz data link through nonlinear effects. The experimental system compared the effectiveness of noise, modulated signal, and multi-tone jamming, identifying vertical polarization and a 20 MHz baseband bandwidth as the optimal jamming parameters. This study offers valuable insights for designing anti-jamming UAV data links and developing low-power precision jamming strategies.