Airborne MIMO radar with towed antenna array

Pooni, Sukhjit Singh (2018). Airborne MIMO radar with towed antenna array. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This thesis introduces an alternative type of radar system for airborne surveillance. The system comprises of a co-located Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) radar array that can be towed by an airborne platform. This could allow the realisation of a long antenna, giving a narrow beam-width, whilst optimising the trade-off between size/weight of a radar array and its length. As new concept, a system study of it operating onboard a high-altitudepseudo-satellite (HAPS) platform was done. Operating at 400MHz, it needed a 25m array having a weight of only 2.2kg, and had detection ground range of 40km for a target with a RCS of 10\(m\)\(^2\) . A fundamental problem with the concept, is that the towing line will deviate due to turbulence during flight. The MIMO structure of the array could allow compensation of the errors caused by its deviation. The key contribution in this thesis are motion correction methods and proof of concept experimental results which shows that compensation is possible. A simulation tool for the proposed radar concept was created, whose results were confirmed with the experimental results, which was used to simulate the concept onboard the HAPS platform. Finally, an experimental MIMO radar system, with a towable 5m antenna array, was built and verified.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):