ABSTRACTThe modeling and characterization of a low‐profile circularly polarized directive antenna is reported. The proposed structure designed to operate near 2.1 GHz is evolved from a Fabry–Perot (FP) cavity with a patch antenna acting as the feed. One of the two reflectors is the antenna's ground plane and the other one is made from a bi‐layered metamaterial‐based partially reflecting surface (PRS) constituted by a capacitive and an inductive grid. The metasurface responds similarly to orthogonally polarized electric field. Calculations together with experimental results obtained from the fabricated prototype are presented. The results show a high directivity, low axial ratio and low level for the secondary lobes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2957–2960, 2016