A multicopter-based focusing method for ground penetrating synthetic aperture radars

Abstract

A subsurface focusing method for multicopter-based mine detection using a ground penetrating synthetic aperture radar (GPSAR) is presented. In the first part of this paper, the challenges of a side-looking single-input single-output (SISO) GPSAR operating in stripmap mode are highlighted by simulation results. As verification, rail-based frequency-modulated continous-wave (FMCW) GPSAR measurement are shown. In the second part of this paper, the 3D imaging circular SAR (CSAR) approach for subsurface focusing is discussed. It is shown that the 3D position of buried point-like targets can be determined unambiguously. As proof of concept simulation results as well as first multicopter-based CSAR measurements are presented.