Unmanned Systems Technology 024 | Wingcopter 178 l 5G focus l UUVs insight l CES report l Stromkind KAT l Intelligent Energy fuel cell l Earthsense TerraSentia l Connectors focus l Advanced Engineering report

RF & coaxial connectors The use of coaxial connectors will have a growing impact on the performance of unmanned vehicles around the world. While RF transmission has always been critical for GNSS, and almost always for data links, unmanned systems (UAVs in particular) are increasingly offering control and telemetry links over 4G LTE. LTE networks have data rates up to 100 Mbit/s, and connectors have to be designed to deliver these with high fidelity and protection. Also, the widening use of MIMO radio links increases the number of antenna lines (and therefore the number of RF connectors) required in unmanned vehicles. That naturally drives the need for smaller and lighter coaxial RF connectors. Nano-coax connectors can now be delivered in a hybridised micro-D form to reduce a vehicle’s aggregate connector footprint, as well as in the more typical shielded circular connector format. The contacts of nano-RF connectors can be terminated to 1.2 mm diameter coaxial cabling, and can also deliver clock speeds of up to 20 GHz, where 7 GHz was once the standard limit. Making coax connectors smaller, less expensive and increasingly hybridised to integrate them alongside power and signal contacts will be particularly critical for delivering real- time 1080p survey video downlinks over LTE networks. It will also be vital for carrying control signals across swarms of unmanned systems operating in complex networks or formations. Fluid connectors While a vast range of power and signal connectors are available to suit the different applications and particular size, weight, power and cost requirements of an unmanned vehicle, fluid connectors are not often designed with such specialisation. The ideal type for UAVs – for the delivery of air, engine oil or fuel – should differ from those typically used in aerospace in a few ways.