Radar Cross Section Measurement Comparison of UAVs at C-band and V-band

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being used for civil, industrial, and military purposes. However, UAVs can pose threats when they leave their restricted routes or when they fly without permission. The proliferation of UAVs along with their potential threats raise the need for the development of detection and tracking systems for flying UAVs in predefined flying zones. Characterizing the radar cross section (RCS) signature of UAVs is crucial for the development of such systems. This paper measures angular monostatic RCS using vector network analyzer (VNA) S parameters to characterize a UAV based on its electromagnetic backscattering for both cases of stationary and rotating propellers at different speeds. Measurements were performed in an anechoic chamber and in a lab environment at 5 GHz and 60 GHz center frequencies, respectively.