Patent ID: 8791868

Claim:
An integrated driveshaft cover antenna, comprising: a driveshaft cover including a conductive layer, the driveshaft cover configured to be hingeably secured and electrically coupled to a helicopter tail boom section to cover a driveshaft access opening, wherein the driveshaft cover has a generally curved cross-section; a dielectric layer including a first surface shaped to conform to a curved outer surface of the driveshaft cover and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface of the dielectric layer is positioned over the curved outer surface of the driveshaft cover, and wherein the first surface is secured to the curved outer surface of the driveshaft cover; and a slotted patch high frequency (HF) antenna layer having an inner slot, wherein the slotted patch HF antenna layer extends a majority of a length of the dielectric layer, and wherein the slotted patch HF antenna layer is secured to the second surface of the dielectric layer.