System and method for measuring free-space parameters of an antenna

1. A method for measuring free space properties of an antenna comprising:

obtaining, by an analyzer from an antenna supported in the air by an aircraft, at least one property of the antenna;

using an analyzer to determine at least one property of the antenna; and

relaying, from a telemetry unit, information from the analyzer to a ground station.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is supported so that a distance from a focal point of the antenna and the ground is about a Fraunhofer distance or greater.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein aircraft is an aerostat.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the aircraft is a powered device.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein a parameter is S11.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the analyzer is a vector network analyzer.

7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

moving a drone around the antenna and using the drone to take measurements of the antenna at a plurality of locations.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the drone measures at least one of radiation and gain from the antenna at a plurality of locations.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of locations form a hemispherical pattern.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the drone includes a global positioning device to determine a location of the drone.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of locations are at least a Fraunhofer distance from the antenna.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

obtaining a location of the antenna; and

obtaining a plurality of locations of the drone corresponding to the plurality of locations.