FM-based passive radar: Height estimation with Doppler measures

Abstract

Purpose of the paper is to present a solution for the target height estimation problem for multi-frequency multi-static passive radar. Aim of the proposed estimation strategy is to provide 2D passive sensors, which measure only bistatic range and Doppler, with target height estimation capability via the simultaneous exploitation of multiple FM transmitters (88–108 MHz). Results achieved with simulated and real passive data demonstrate that it is possible to estimate the target height with an accuracy of few hundreds of meters even if the precision of bistatic range measures is poor (up to one kilometer); this is possible thanks to the bistatic Doppler measures that show a standard deviation of few or fraction of Hz. The above mentioned result is not available in open technical literature- as far as we know- and it is covered by European patent EP2656101B1 and Italian patent no. 0001418266.