In this paper, we analyze the integration of small antennas in a drone protected by a conductive structure. They must be light and resistant to provide high collision resilience, which is critical for drones flown indoors and in complex environments. To achieve these mechanical advantages, the material of the cage is carbon fiber, which is electrically conductive and degrades the performance and reliability of the radio link.

We compare performance of a CP small, lightweight antenna with broad beamwidth with an omnidirectional dipole. We validate the performance of the antennas with the cage through system measurements using the SNR of the transmission system to quantify and assess the reliability of the link. The CP broadbeam patch antenna shows an improved performance and reliability compared to dipole antennas in NLOS scenarios with strong multipath effect.