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Projecte llegit

Títol: 5G Multi-Beam Active Antenna Characterisation, Testing and Validation

Estudiants que han llegit aquest projecte:

Director/a: MATEU MATEU, JORDI

Departament: TSC

Títol: 5G Multi-Beam Active Antenna Characterisation, Testing and Validation

Data inici oferta: 08-01-2026     Data finalització oferta: 08-09-2026


Estudis d'assignació del projecte:
    DG ENG AERO/SIS TEL
Tipus: Individual
 
Lloc de realització: Fora UPC    
 
        Supervisor/a extern: Alessandro Modigliana; Alk Charaf
        Institució/Empresa: Sateliot
        Titulació del Director/a: Enginyer
 
Paraules clau:
Beamforming, antenna array, OTA testing, conducted testing, automation, 5G, 3GPP, LEO satellite
 
Descripció del contingut i pla d'activitats:
For a LEO satellite communication system, it is necessary to enable multi-beam capability with the ability to control the beam coverage area, the beam width and its radiation pattern. This project involves the characterisation, testing and validation of a 5G Multi-Beam Active Antenna for a LEO Satellite.
The project will cover the following equipment: Antenna Array, Distributed RF Front-End, Transceiver, DFE and Digital Beam Forming. The test will be executed in an Anechoic Chamber and if possible, in a Far-Field Facility.
 
Overview (resum en anglès):
This project addresses the definition, implementation and preliminary validation of test methods for a Radio Unit and its 4x4 Antenna Array Unit capable of beamforming developed for a future LEO satellite payload intended to provide 5G NR and NB-IoT connectivity. The work was carried out in the context of Sateliot's system development and focuses on functional RF testing. The main objective was to create repeatable and automated conducted and over-the-air test setups able to support future characterization of the system under 3GPP Satellite Access Node criteria.
The first part of the work studies the theoretical basis of antenna arrays, array factor, beam steering, directivity and radiation pattern formation. This background is used to understand how phase and amplitude control can steer the transmitted or received beam, and to define measurable quantities for the test procedures. The Radio Unit under test is as a combination of a baseband processor, transceivers, radio-frequency front-end and an antenna array.
Two main test approaches were designed, compatible with 3GPP. The conducted setup uses Rohde & Schwarz instrumentation controlled through SCPI commands and allows future validation of transmitted signals, frequency accuracy, power, EVM, ACLR, harmonics and phase-related beamforming calibration at connector level among other measurable KPIs. The OTA setup uses two LibreVNA devices (portable VNA with capability of signal generator and spectrum analyzer), one configured as signal generator and the other as spectrum analyzer, to measure the individual antenna elements and estimate gain through a link-budget approach. The OTA setup also required mechanical supports designed on purpose, a reference monopole antenna, cable-loss characterization, polarization-loss correction and automated data acquisition. OTA setup to characterize the array gain without beamsteering was also designed. A characterization of a functional anechoic chamber test involving all the radio unit is proposed in the end.
The developed Python automation scripts coordinate instruments, configure measurements, acquire traces, extract power and frequency information, average repeated acquisitions and export traceable reports. Validation tests with laboratory instrumentation confirmed that the conductive automation chain works correctly, including remote control, model recognition, power sweeping and EVM extraction. OTA work demonstrated the measurement methodology for antenna characterization, although full boresight beamforming and anechoic chamber testing remain future work because of hardware availability. Overall, the project provides a reusable test framework, practical setup definitions and a basis for future RF validation of the complete satellite payload.

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