Damage Effectiveness of X - Band High Power Microwaves (HPM) on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

In this paper, the effects of high-power microwaves (HPM) on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are investigated, especially the electromagnetic compatibility and shielding effectiveness of UAVs at X-band. By using CST electromagnetic simulation software, the effects of narrowband pulses on the UAV housing, cable, and PCB trace models were simulated. It is found that in the time domain, high-power microwaves can generate significant coupling voltages across the power line of the UAV, which may cause interference to the power system. At the same time, the shielding effectiveness of the UAV shell fluctuates at a specific frequency, and the shielding effect decreases significantly, especially at 9.4634 GHz. The simulation results of PCB pins show that the pins with different functions have different responses to microwave irradiation, and the CAN bus function and internal power supply function show high damage probability. Considering the effects of EMP in both frequency and time domains, this study points out the vulnerability of the electronic components inside the UAV, indicating that additional protective measures may be required at specific frequencies.