Airborne drone transponder reliability is crucial to successful drone control air-to-air missile analysis and realistic aircrew training. Micro Systems, Inc. has reduced the size, complexity, and cost of previous airborne components with the introduction of its series of Drone Formation System (DFS) transponders. The DFS transponder is an affordable yet highly effective design using many conventional subsystems. Improved design in the receiver, receiver amplifier, signal generation module, and the demodulator sections has resulted in a rugged single-unit configuration. The DFS transponder is compatible with the Gulf Range Drone Control System (GRDCS) and the Drone Formation Control System (DFCS). The Transponder is currently flying on the QF-4, BQM-34, and MQM-107.
  
 
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION:  
The DFS transponder is an L-band transmitter/receiver that detects and accepts bi-phase modulated signals, then produces digital data to be demultiplexed and decoded by an external Signal Processor Vehicle Interface (SPVI). During transmit, pulse-position modulated coded digital data is received from the SPVI and transmitted to the ground stations.