The invention is for a system and method of constructing an array of fixed antennas to provide coverage for radio communications to multiple mobile aerial vehicles from a terrestrial location. In one embodiment there is provided antenna system providing radio communications to a plurality or moving aerial vehicles, said system comprising an array of fixed antennas; at least one or a plurality of transceivers selectively connected to the array of fixed antennas; and a control unit configured to switch individual antennas from said array to connect with at least one transceiver. The control unit is configured with a switch matrix to control the connections from the antennas to the plurality of transceivers to implement a desired communications protocol, and the system is further configurable to supply exclusion policies to the control unit which identify which antennas are not to be connected to the switch matrix.