A new multi-million pound antenna, radar and wireless communications facility, operated by MK:U, the new model university for Milton Keynes being developed in partnership by Milton Keynes City Council and Cranfield University, has been opened.

The cutting-edge research laboratory, with a team of experts in place, is hosted at Cranfield University, and aims to help businesses test and develop new radio frequency products, with expected applications in aerospace, healthcare, space and mobile telecommunications.

The facility is equipped to support the next generation of high frequency radio technologies and offers exceptional capabilities for chip, communication system and antenna development all in one facility.

The laboratory has a suite of state-of-the-art test and measurement radio frequency (RF) equipment which will also have applications for radar and remote sensing, industrial sensors, the telemedicine and remote healthcare monitoring sector, telecommunication service providers and smart living technologies.

Dr Ivor Morrow, Senior Lecturer in Antenna and Electromagnetic Systems Engineering, said: “This is a unique national and potentially international facility that addresses the UK’s commercial and research needs, offering test and measurement services and expert support.

“The facility and its team of experts will bridge the gap between costly prototype design and development of RF technology in the mobile communication, aerospace and space engineering sectors.”

Development of the facility, called the Centre for Antenna & Communication Technology Innovation (CACTI), has been made possible with funding from the Getting Building Fund approved by South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP).

Conventional radio frequency applications tend to be below 10 GHz while future radio frequency opportunities and application such as 5G and 6G, autonomous radar, remote sensing, aerospace and low earth orbit satellite communication systems utilise much higher radio frequency spectrums.

The new facilities offer test and measurement capacities and tools spanning 1-170 GHz, embracing technology characterisation from device physics to communication waveform or radar systems performance.