Passive backscatter tags as transponders for unmanned aircraft systems

This paper presents a design for a passive tag to be used as a transponder for unmanned aircraft systems. The tag is designed to scatter digital television signals with an imposed modulation, negating the need for an onboard transmitter. The ground station processes the backscattered signal using passive coherent location techniques. Results suggest the feasibility of communication between a ground station and aerial vehicle with relatively high data rate, long range, and minimal power consumption without further congesting existing bands such as 1030/1090 or 978 MHz.