Lightweight Deployable Origami Antennas

Origami antennas offer a lightweight, low-cost, and deployable alternative to traditional antennas for applications requiring mobility and quick deployment in harsh environments. Origami folding enables antenna miniaturization, making them ideal for space and planetary applications, as well as for communication applications that require large-sized antennas. For example, a deployable origami antenna in the microwave frequency range could be used for military communications. While traditional walkie-talkie-type units are susceptible to tapping and have a limited range, origami antennas can be easily transported and deployed in remote areas. Satellite communication is another option, but conventional satellite antennas are bulky and require large vehicles or helicopters to transport. Origami antennas can be fabricated at the desired location using paper sheets and copper film, without the need for lab facilities. This chapter reviews lightweight deployable origami antennas, providing theoretical and experimental results for a variety of examples, including a tetrahedron deployable origami antenna and a deployable quasi-Yagi monopole antenna utilizing origami magic spiral cubes.