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This paper proposes a circularly-polarized (CP) metasurface antenna with ultra-wideband radar cross section (RCS) reduction. Initially, the relationship between RCS reduction and phase difference with different reflection amplitudes is analyzed theoretically. Inspired by the shared-aperture principle, a high-frequency resistive layer is introduced into the antenna element to further fulfill ultra-wideband RCS reduction and low-profile requirements. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the inserted layer has no effect on the radiation performance of the antenna array. Then, the proposed element and its orthogonal unit are arranged in a checkerboard pattern for good CP radiation. In this configuration, the proposed metasurface array antenna has a maximum gain of 16.7 dBi with 72.1% aperture efficiency. The bandwidth of 5 dB RCS reduction with x- and y-polarized incidences is 7.10–17.95 GHz and 7.34–17.85 GHz, respectively. The proposed design is verified by the fabrication of prototype antennas and measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal–rock interface recognition is one of the key challenges in advancing unmanned rapid tunneling systems. To address this, a method based on variations in ground-penetrating radar (GPR) reflection wave amplitude is proposed for identifying coal-rock interfaces in soft coal seams. A mathematical model derived from Maxwell's equations calculates the coal seam area based on the reflected wave amplitude. Experiments using a 400 MHz radar antenna show that the method achieves identification errors of 3.58 cm, 3.74 cm, and 4.23 cm for coal-to-rock ratios of 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1, respectively. In practical applications within a coal mine excavation face, the identification error is 6.64 cm. This method provides crucial data for drum height adjustment and cutting arm speed regulation in unmanned tunneling systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining multiple data sources, Digital Earth is an integrated observation platform based on air–space–ground–sea monitoring systems. Among these data sources, the Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) is a crucial observation method. ISAR is typically utilized to monitor both military and civilian ships due to its all-day and all-weather superiority. However, in complex scenarios, multiple targets may exist within the same radar antenna beam, resulting in severe defocusing due to different motion conditions. Therefore, this paper proposes a multiple-target ISAR imaging method with the removal of micro-motion connections based on the integration of joint constraints. The fully motion-compensated targets exhibit low rank and local similarity in the high-resolution range profile (HRRP) domain, while the micro-motion components possess sparsity. Additionally, targets display sparsity in the image domain. Inspired by this, we formulate a novel optimization by promoting the low-rank, the Laplacian, and the sparsity constraints of targets and the sparsity constraints of the micro-motion components. This optimization problem is solved by the linearized alternative direction method with adaptive penalty (LADMAP). Furthermore, the different motions of various targets degrade their inherent characteristics. Therefore, we integrate motion compensation transformation into the optimization, accordingly achieving the separation of rigid bodies and the micro-motion components of different targets. Experiments based on simulated data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samples with compositions of Sr2Sn1−xMnxO4(SSM) with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.10 are prepared by conventional ceramic route via heat treatment at 1350 °C. Phase and crystal structure analysis is studied using X‐ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement to confirm the crystallization of samples in the tetragonal structure under space group I4/mmm. The size‐strain plot method is employed to identify the role of Mn on crystallite size/microstrain/dislocation density. The scanning electron microscope and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy analysis confirm a significant change in the grain size and compositional homogeneity of all samples with Mn‐doping. Dielectric properties of samples are explained in terms of interfacial and orientation polarization of dipoles SnSn4+2+″−VO⋅⋅;2Mn2Mn3+2+′−VO⋅⋅$S n_{\left(\text{Sn}\right)^{4 +}}^{2 +} ^{&aposx; &aposx;} - V_{O}^{\cdot \cdot} ; 2 M n_{2 \left(\text{Mn}\right)^{3 +}}^{2 +} ^{&aposx;} - V_{\text{O}}^{\cdot \cdot}$. Modulus studies show the exclusion of electrode contribution from the electrical properties. The single‐segment circular dielectric resonator antenna is designed with the help of experimental dielectric parameters and showed two major resonant frequencies at 3.6 and 6.7 GHz. The reduction in the S11 parameter and −10 dB reflection coefficient bandwidth with Mn‐doping observed due to overlapping of the E‐field line suggests the application in patch array antenna for radar and satellite communication applications. This study also enables to explore Sr2SnO4‐based Ruddlesden Popper oxide for antenna and mm‐wave communication applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a novel microstrip slot antenna array (SAA) configuration for radar applications. The proposed antenna is specifically designed for operation in the K-band, spanning from 23 to 24.3 GHz. The antenna structure comprises two substrates: the feed network and ground plane are on the bottom substrate, and the radiating slots are on the top layer of the first substrate. The incorporation of a unique grid feed configuration, featuring 50 Ohm center excitation for the first time, improves the feed mechanism of the microstrip SAA. This innovation contributes to achieving a compact size and high gain. To enhance the side lobe level, the design incorporates a substrate-integrated waveguide-backed cavity, which significantly reduces surface waves. The SAA consists of 25 radiating elements with a gain of 14 dBi. In the elevation and azimuth planes, the half-power beamwidths are measured at 12.1° and 69.1°, respectively. The proposed antenna array's measured impedance bandwidth ranges from 23.15 to 24.75 GHz, guaranteeing a reflection coefficient (S11) of less than − 10 dB. The suggested antenna's applicability for automotive multi-input multi-output radar has been validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Splendid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications upshot its enormous use in densely inhabited areas, which is a matter of concern. In such areas, a proper tracking system is required to track an unauthorized/invader drone to ensure safety. With the flexibility of reaching inaccessible places, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Mounted Adaptable Radar Antenna Array (UAVMARAA) could be used. In this regard, a Hybrid Unscented Kalman-Continuous Ant Colony Filter (HUK-CACF) is proposed to estimate the position of the invader drone efficiently. Simulation results demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed filter for tracking system compared to the existing filters in terms of success rate. Further, for various Adaptable Radar Antenna Array (ARAA) patterns such as Uniform Linear Array (ULA), Uniform Rectangular Array (URA), and Uniform Circular Array (UCA), analysis is done for pertaining actual tracking effect for various parameters such as bearing, Doppler shift, ranging, and Radar Cross Section (RCS) by considering wobbling and mutual coupling (MC) effect. The result shows that the proposed filter outperforms in all the scenarios. Among the various ARAA, URA performs better than the other configurations. • The UAVMARAA patrols to track invading drones precisely while smartly navigating its surroundings. • ULA, URA, and UCA configurations are considered for ARAA, which re-tunes itself for better invader drone information, accounting for wobbling and MC effects. • A new filter is proposed to reduce tracking error, analyzed for various parameters including bearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a millimeter-wave far-field range antenna measurement system is proposed for W-band monopulse antenna measurements. Since the W-band monopulse antenna installed in radar systems has many input/output ports, multiple calculations are required to measure all the ports. We propose a system structure capable of the simultaneous measurement of multiple channels to quickly and accurately measure the performance of a monopulse antenna. The proposed measurement system includes a multi-channel rotary joint, a pair of diplexers, and multiple vector network analyzer extenders. In addition, an RF sub-system is implemented to reliably measure the phase of the W-band radiation pattern. It utilizes a shared local oscillator source and external power amplifiers for the transmit and receive paths. Employing the proposed multi-channel antenna measurement system, the sum/difference channels of a monopulse antenna were simultaneously measured according to the azimuth angle. In addition, a comparison of the far-field measurements provided by the proposed system and the near-field measurements was conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the nonlinear self interference coupling problem between the transmitting and receiving antennas of radar jammer, a nonlinear self interference cancellation method based on spline interpolation is studied. The method combines spline interpolation and adaptive filtering, and establishes the spline-based Wiener model and the spline-based Wiener model respectively. By introducing the robust arctangent (ARC) function as the cost function, the adaptive learning rules of the spline control points and filter coefficients under the two models are obtained, and the influence of the number of spline control points on the performance of the self-interference cancelation i analyzed. Simulation experiments show that for signals with a bandwidth of 60 MHz, the proposed ARC-based parameter learning method achieves about 4 dB improvement in the interference cancelation ratio compared with the traditional least mean square parameter learning methods, and the convergence speed can be improved by a factor of one. In addition, the method has good tracking performance and low steady-stale error for the scenario of sudden channel change. When non-Gaussian pulse interference exists in the background noise, the proposed method can effectively cope with the interference in the impulse noise environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-gain transmitarray antenna with low radar cross section (RCS) properties is presented in this paper. Compared with conventional high-profile multilayer designs, we introduce a transmit-reflect selective metasurface integrated with high-gain transmission and random scattering functions, achieving a reduced thickness of 0.13 λ 0 (where λ 0 is the wavelength at the center frequency). For the meta-atom design, we combine geometric rotation and dimension optimization to realize 1-bit independent transmit and reflection phase modulation, respectively. Moreover, in metasurface coding strategy, we employ an initial phase optimization method and a simulated annealing algorithm to determine the optimal coding matrices. The experimental results demonstrate high-performance radiation characterized by the peak gain of 23.6 dB, maximum aperture efficiency of 28.5%, and 3 dB gain bandwidth of 18.4%. For x -polarization, measured 10 dB RCS reduction bandwidth under transverse magnetic (TM) 0°-45° and transverse electric (TE) 0°-20° incidence are 9.02–11.36 GHz. For y -polarization, 10 dB RCS reduction bandwidth under TM 0–60° and TE 0–30° incidence is 8.82–10.96 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The author reveals that the power pattern for a particular selected rotating spherical electric current density profile exhibits the following two properties simultaneously: (a) fully omnidirectional in three dimensions (3‐D) and (b) invariant with regards to radio frequency (RF). Specifically, most known antenna designs exhibit either nodal lines or planes for at least some RF frequencies. In contrast, the primary innovation of the subject rotating electric current sphere is that it generates a power pattern that is characterised by no nodal lines nor nodal planes for any RF frequency. In the present analysis, the electro‐magnetic (EM) fields are calculated as an exact solution of Maxwell's equations for the subject electric current density that rotates azimuthally on a spherical surface. As expected, the spatial structure of the resulting EM fields also rotates azimuthally. More surprisingly, this rotating electric current density generates pure magnetic dipole radiation exactly, with the absence of any higher order multipole moments. This proposed antenna concept could offer utility in various applications, including communications beaconing and radar surveillance.

The evolution of charge structure involved in lightning discharge of a thunderstorm over the central Tibetan Plateau is investigated for the first time, based on the data from very high frequency interferometer, radar and sounding. During the developing‐mature stage, the TP thunderstorm exhibited a tripolar charge structure evolved from an initial inverted dipole. At the mature stage, a bottom‐heavy tripole charge structure is clearly presented, with a strong lower positive charge center (LPCC) at temperatures above −10°C, a middle negative charge region between −30°C and −15°C, and an upper positive charge region at T < −30°C. As the LPCC was depleted, the charge structure evolved into a normal tripole with a pocket LPCC. The merging between different convective cells resulted in the formation of two adjacent negative charge regions located directly and obliquely above the LPCC, and horizontally arranged different charge regions were simultaneously involved in the same lightning discharge. Plain Language Summary: Tibetan Plateau thunderstorms usually exhibit special convective structures. Using the data from the accurate lightning VHF interferometer, electric field mill, fast/slow antenna and C‐band radar, the evolution of the charge structure of thunderstorms and their influence on lightning discharges are investigated. Our observation for the first time revealed the charge structure evolution of the central‐TP thunderstorm which involved in the lightning discharge, exhibiting a bottom heavy tripole charge structure with a large LPCC in the mature stage evolved from an initial inverted dipole and the usual tripole in the dissipating stage of the thunderstorm. Under different magnitudes of the LPCC, different types of lightning discharges including ‐IC, +IC and ‐CG flashes were generated, indicating the crucial effects of LPCC on the lightning discharge types. Key Points: The charge structure of the TP thunderstorm evolves from an initial inverted dipole to a mature stage tripole with a strong LPCCHorizontally distributed negative charge zones from cell merger are simultaneously involved in the discharge of a single lightning flashDifferences in the relative magnitude of LPCC leads to various types of lightning discharges [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graphene-based tunable polarization conversion metasurface (PCM) was designed and analyzed for the purpose of reducing the radar cross-section (RCS) of array antennas. The metasurface comprises periodic shuttle-shaped metal patches, square-patterned graphene, and inclined grating-patterned graphene. By adjusting the Fermi energy levels of the upper (μ1) and lower (μ2) graphene layers, different states were achieved. In State 1, with μ1 = 0 eV and μ2 = 0.5 eV, the polarization conversion ratio (PCR) exceeded 0.9 in the bandwidths of 1.65–2.19 THz and 2.29–2.45 THz. In State 2, with μ1 = μ2 = 0.5 eV, the PCR was greater than 0.9 in the 1.23–1.85 THz and 2.24–2.60 THz bands. In State 3, with μ1 = μ2 = 1 eV, the PCR exceeded 0.9 in the 2.56–2.75 THz and 3.73–4.05 THz bands. By integrating the PCM with the array antenna, tunable RCS reduction was obtained without affecting the basic radiation functionality of the antenna. In State 1, RCS reduction was greater than 10 dB in the 1.60–2.43 THz and 3.63–3.72 THz frequency ranges. In State 2, the RCS reduction exceeded 10 dB in the 2.07–2.53 THz, 2.78–2.98 THz, and 3.70–3.81 THz bands. In State 3, RCS reduction was greater than 10 dB in the 1.32–1.43 THz, 2.51–2.76 THz, and 3.76–4.13 THz frequency ranges. This polarization conversion metasurface shows significant potential for applications in switchable and tunable antenna RCS reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the significance of millimeter wave sensors has achieved a paramount role, especially in the non-invasive and ubiquitous analysis of various materials and objects. This paper introduces a novel IoT-based fake currency detection using millimeter wave (mmWave) that leverages machine and deep learning algorithms for the detection of fake and genuine currency based on their distinct sensor reflections. To gather these reflections or signatures from different currency notes, we utilize multiple receiving (RX) antennae of the radar sensor module. Our proposed framework encompasses three different approaches for genuine and fake currency detection, Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), k-nearest Neighbor (k-NN), and Transfer Learning Technique (TLT). After extensive experiments, the proposed framework exhibits impressive accuracy and obtained classification accuracy of 96%, 94%, and 98% for CNN, k-NN, and TLT in distinguishing 10 different currency notes using radar signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern fighter aircraft increasingly need to conjugate aerodynamic performance and low observability. In this paper, we showcase a methodology for a gradient-based bidisciplinary aero-stealth optimization. The shape of the aircraft is parameterized with the help of a CAD modeler, and we optimize it with the SLSQP algorithm. The drag, computed with the help of a RANS method, is used as the aerodynamic criterion. For the stealth criterion, a function is derived from the radar cross-section in a given cone of directions and weighed with a function whose goal is to cancel the electromagnetic intensity in a given direction. Stealth is achieved passively by scattering back the electromagnetic energy away from the radar antenna, and no energy is absorbed by the aircraft, which is considered as a perfect conductor. A Pareto front is identified by varying the weights of the aerodynamic and stealth criteria. The Pareto front allows for an easy identification of the CAD model corresponding to a chosen aero-stealth trade-off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic warfare equipment estimates the azimuth and elevation of an unknown target by processing radar echoes received from monopulse or array antennas and interrupts radar sensing by transmitting jamming signals to the target. However, state-of-the-art targets maneuver at low altitudes in a sea surface environment to deliberately produce interference through multi-path, which poses a significant challenge for accurately estimating the estimation of the elevation angle. In this study, we propose an algorithm to accurately estimate the elevation angle of a low-altitude target despite the presence of a few arrays. Assuming that the sampled complex echoes are obtained after down-converging from the X-band (i.e., 10 GHz) to the base band, the proposed method demodulates the unknown linear frequency modulation using particle swarm optimization (PSO) and estimates the elevation angle by exploiting the new Fourier relationship between the wavelength and elevation angle. The simulation results suggest that our proposed method can successfully estimate the elevation angle for low-altitude maneuvering targets in a sea-surface environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a software-defined radar (SDR) system, most of the signal processing usually implemented in hardware is implemented by software, thus allowing for higher flexibility and modularity compared to conventional radar systems. However, the majority of SDR demonstrators and proofs of concept reported in the open literature so far have been based on simple antenna systems. As a result, the full potentialities of an SDR approach have not been completely exploited yet. In this work, we propose a flexible antenna module to be integrated into an active electronically scanning array (AESA) with controlled sidelobe level over a wide angular range, exhibiting polarization reconfigurability with a low cross-polarization level and high isolation. For this purpose, analytical and numerically efficient techniques for the synthesis of the aperture distribution and the correct evaluation of the radiating features (e.g., beamwidth, pointing angle, sidelobe levels, etc.) are presented in order to grant real-time control of the digital beamforming network. A sub-array module demonstrator is fabricated and measured to corroborate the concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-frequency radars (HFRs) provide remote information on ocean surface velocity in extended coastal areas at high resolutions in space (O (km)) and time (O (h)). They directly produce radial velocities (in the radar antenna's direction) combined to provide total vector velocities in areas covered by at least two radars. HFRs are a key element in ocean observing systems, with several important environmental applications. Here, we provide an assessment of the HFR-TirLig network in the NW Mediterranean Sea, including results from the gap-filling open-boundary modal analysis (OMA) using in situ velocity data from drifters. While the network consists of three radars, only two were active during the assessment experiment, so the test also includes an area where the radial velocities from only one radar system were available. The results, including several metrics, both Eulerian and Lagrangian, and configurations, show that the network performance is very satisfactory and compares well with the previous results in the literature in terms of both the radial and total combined vector velocities where the coverage is adequate, i.e., in the area sampled by two radars. Regarding the OMA results, not only do they perform equally well in the area sampled by the two radars but they also provide results in the area covered by one radar only. Even though obviously deteriorated with respect to the case of adequate coverage, the OMA results can still provide information regarding the velocity structure and speed as well as virtual trajectories, which can be of some use in practical applications. A general discussion on the implications of the results for the potential of remote sensing velocity estimation in terms of HFR network configurations and complementing gap-filling analysis is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a comprehensive Mode-S radar simulation, designed to evaluate interrogation and reply signal functionality in various uplink formats (UFs) and downlink formats (DFs). Mode-S radar, crucial in modern aviation, facilitates communication between aircraft and ground systems, thereby enhancing aircraft tracking, situational awareness, and air traffic safety. Our simulation focuses on optimizing interrogation and reply sequences in the 1030- and 1090-MHz channels, respectively. It provides a practical solution for testing complex air flight scenarios, which may be impractical or costly in real life, by replicating challenging conditions in a computerized environment. This approach aids in developing advanced radar signaling algorithms for air traffic control. The simulator’s user-friendly interface displays real-time aircraft data, demonstrating its realworld applicability. Its successful operation underscores its potential to advance Mode-S radar technology and its value for research in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 9 years of hourly surface current data from high‐frequency radar (HFR) off the US West Coast are analyzed using a Bayesian least‐squares fit for tidal components. The spatial resolution and geographic extent of HFR data allow us to assess the spatial structure of the non‐phase‐locked component of the tide. In the frequency domain, the record length and sampling rate allow resolution of discrete tidal lines corresponding to well‐known constituents and the near‐tidal broadband elevated continuum resulting from amplitude and phase modulation of the tides, known as cusps. The FES2014 tide model is used to remove the barotropic component of tidal surface currents in order to evaluate its contribution to the phase‐locked variance and spatial structure. The mean time scale of modulation is 243 days for the M2 constituent and 181 days for S2, with overlap in their range of values. These constituents' modulated amplitudes are significantly correlated in several regions, suggesting shared forcing mechanisms. Within the frequency band M2 ± 5 cycles per year, an average of 48% of energy is not at the phase‐locked frequency. When we remove the barotropic model, this increases to 64%. In both cases there is substantial regional variability. This indicates that a large fraction of tidal energy is not easily predicted (e.g., for satellite altimeter applications). The spatial autocorrelation of the non‐phase‐locked variance fraction drops to zero over a distance of 150 km, a scale that is comparable to the swath width of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography altimeter. Plain Language Summary: Tides in the ocean encompass both the highly predictable daily changes in sea level seen from the shore as well as a less predictable component that changes over time depending on seasonal conditions and wind. Tidal signals are detectable at the ocean surface, for example, via satellite or land‐based radar antenna. The time‐evolving tide signals interact with other processes in the ocean, like currents, and can become harder to predict and describe. Many studies have examined this aspect of tides. In this work, we use land‐based radar observations of ocean currents off the US West Coast to examine this process with high detail, using mathematical techniques to separate the tides from everything else and then evaluating how much the tide has been altered by other processes. This is useful because ocean‐observing satellites can observe a single part of the ocean only when the satellite passes overhead, approximately every 10–20 days, while the data we analyze are sampled hourly and thus more easily allow us to draw conclusions about how tides behave. Key Points: In the California Current System, High‐Frequency Radar resolves stationary and non‐stationary tidesBroadband cusps occur at tidal constituent frequencies, with M2 exhibiting annual modulationWe analyze the tidal modulation to assess physics governing non‐stationary tidal variability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reveals that the power pattern for a particular selected rotating spherical electric current density profile exhibits the following two properties simultaneously: (a) fully omnidirectional in three dimensions (3‐D) and (b) invariant with regards to radio frequency (RF). Specifically, most known antenna designs exhibit either nodal lines or planes for at least some RF frequencies. In contrast, the primary innovation of the subject rotating electric current sphere is that it generates a power pattern that is characterised by no nodal lines nor nodal planes for any RF frequency. In the present analysis, the electro‐magnetic (EM) fields are calculated as an exact solution of Maxwell's equations for the subject electric current density that rotates azimuthally on a spherical surface. As expected, the spatial structure of the resulting EM fields also rotates azimuthally. More surprisingly, this rotating electric current density generates pure magnetic dipole radiation exactly, with the absence of any higher order multipole moments. This proposed antenna concept could offer utility in various applications, including communications beaconing and radar surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is necessary to have a reconfigurable antenna for multi-function radar. The same antenna can be used for search, tracking, and imaging applications across a wide range of frequencies. The monopole antenna is suitably etched in its patch to achieve ultra-wideband (UWB) performance, while the modification of the partial ground to have an electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structure and rectangle slots improves the operational bandwidth that extends between 2.7 GHz and 12 GHz. The inclusion of a stub in the microstrip feed along with partial ground brings size miniaturization up to 63%. The perturbation of "L"-shaped slots at the corners of the rectangular patch and loading of left-hand metamaterial (LHM) into the monopole antenna realize circular polarization and also increase the gain of the antenna to 5.68 dBi. The inclusion of a filter across the feedline of the proposed antenna modifies the antenna's frequency/bandwidth in some desirable fashion, which provides bandwidth reconfiguration. The proposed antenna uses a step feed that offers better impedance matching over the wide operating bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weight-size optimization is the main challenge of high-power antenna design. This paper presents a low-profile, metasurface-based wideband antenna. The proposed antenna comprises an N-type-to-waveguide transition to excite the metasurfaces and handle high-power excitations. A metasurface array of 4x4-unit cells is integrated into the waveguide. The proposed waveguide is 3D printed, and its internal faces are covered by copper tape to maintain a low weight (less than 200 g). The prototype is experimentally tested, and the results confirm the prototype's functionality from 2.1 GHz to 3.6 GHz with a bandwidth of 52.6% and a peak gain of 8.5 dBi. Furthermore, the high-power handling capability of the proposed design has been experimentally confirmed by exciting it with a 7 kV pulsed source. These results demonstrate the applicability of the proposed antenna in radar applications and wireless communication between Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of sensing and communication (ISAC) is pivotal for realizing the full spectrum of 6G networks, where aerial networks composed of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) emerge as significant enhancers by establishing line-of-sight connections and increasing the coverage of terrestrial networks. Although network slicing can cater to diverse ISAC applications, strategies specifically for ISAC remain unexplored. This article proposes a lightweight scheme for network slicing in an aerial network with ISAC capability to maximize the service-level agreement (SLA) satisfaction ratio (SSR) by jointly optimizing the 3D placement and bandwidth resource allocation of UAVs. The scheme determines the 3D positions of the UAVs based on the locations of users served by high-priority slices and the SSRs of all slice requests. Then the scheme uses a minimum-weight matching algorithm for energy-efficient UAV path planning. Extensive simulations reveal our proposed scheme’s efficiencies in terms of resource allocation, cost savings, and energy savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the detection of water inrush in tunnels excavated by full-section hard rock tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and employed ground penetrating radar methods for conducting research on radar signal processing algorithms. The research demonstrates that conventional techniques are inadequate for eliminating the interference of TBM equipment on radar signal propagation. This study employs a radar antenna array method for signal transmission, utilizing a wavelet double-threshold filtering algorithm and wave propagation theory to suppress clutter. These methods exhibit strong signal reception capabilities and are effective in eliminating 13.1% of the direct wave components. The adoption of a novel, efficient radar signal imaging algorithm simplifies the imaging process. Results of verification indicate that the synthetic aperture algorithm, enhanced with cross-correlation calculation, yields the optimal imaging effect. This investigation, which was conducted in conjunction with the construction of a diversion tunnel in a specific region, has confirmed the applicability of the ground penetrating radar method for the detection of water inrush in TBM tunnels by conducting a comparative analysis of the direct wave removal algorithm and the integration of the optimal imaging algorithm. The innovative application of ground penetrating radar within TBM tunnels, along with a targeted technology to mitigate signal interference from metal equipment, has led to the selection of an appropriate algorithm for both signal processing and imaging. This approach offers a novel solution for the detection of water source disasters in TBM tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the design of a 60 GHz millimeter-wave (MMW) slot array horn antenna based on the substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) structure. The novelty of this device resides in the achievement of a broad impedance bandwidth and high gain performance by meticulously engineering the radiation band structure and slot array. The antenna demonstrates an impressive impedance bandwidth of 14.96 GHz (24.93%), accompanied by a remarkable maximum reflection coefficient of −39.47 dB. Furthermore, the antenna boasts a gain of 10.01 dBi, showcasing its outstanding performance as a high-frequency antenna with a wide bandwidth and high gain. To validate its capabilities, we fabricated and experimentally characterized a prototype of the antenna using a probe test structure. The measurement results closely align with the simulation results, affirming the suitability of the designed antenna for radar sensing applications in future global industrial scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A frequency-tunable patch antenna with reduced radar cross section (RCS) based on absorbing metamaterial is proposed. By controlling the external voltage of the varactor diodes, the working frequency of the patch can be adjusted. Through an investigation of the composite structure of the patch and absorbing metamaterial, RCS reduction is achieved over the entire wide tunable frequency range of the antenna. Measured results illustrate that the proposed patch antenna can dynamically operate in the range from 2.28 to 3.6 GHz with a gain variation of 7.1–8.7 dBi. Meanwhile, the RCS can be reduced by at least 7 dB and up to 20 dB in a fractional bandwidth of 44.9% of the antenna under a normal incidence. In comparison to conventional RCS-reduced antennas, the proposed one features a broader frequency tuning range and has potential value in wideband radar systems under complex electromagnetic interference environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulse repetition interval modulation (PRIM) is integral to radar identification in modern electronic support measure (ESM) and electronic intelligence (ELINT) systems. Various distortions, including missing pulses, spurious pulses, unintended jitters, and noise from radar antenna scans, often hinder the accurate recognition of PRIM. This research introduces a novel three-stage approach for PRIM recognition, emphasizing the innovative use of PRI sound. A transfer learning-aided deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) is initially used for feature extraction. This is followed by an extreme learning machine (ELM) for real-time PRIM classification. Finally, a gray wolf optimizer (GWO) refines the network's robustness. To evaluate the proposed method, we develop a real experimental dataset consisting of sound of six common PRI patterns. We utilized eight pre-trained DCNN architectures for evaluation, with VGG16 and ResNet50V2 notably achieving recognition accuracies of 97.53% and 96.92%. Integrating ELM and GWO further optimized the accuracy rates to 98.80% and 97.58. This research advances radar identification by offering an enhanced method for PRIM recognition, emphasizing the potential of PRI sound to address real-world distortions in ESM and ELINT systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Development of a new approach to improving the accuracy of orientation based on radar reflections from local objects and a digital terrain model. Methodology. The research is based on the theory of radiation, reflection and reception of radar signals. Statistical analysis of a large volume of recorded signals establishes causal relationships between the appearance of “false” reflections formed by the back lobe of the radiation pattern and to develop a computational algorithm for their suppression. Findings. A method and software that allows detecting and suppressing “false” reflections formed by the rear lobe of the antenna pattern without distorting the reflections created by the main lobe. For this purpose, a criterion has been developed, determined by the ratio of the amplitude of the signal received by the front lobe to the amplitude of the signal recorded by the rear lobe. The criterion allows eliminating the “false” signals without having a priori information about the real radiation pattern using a regulator for the reduction of phantom reflections to an average noise level. Originality. For the first time, suppression has been carried out of “false” reflections without having a priori information about the real radiation pattern of the radar station antenna, as well as elimination of the loss of informativeness of the real reflection formed by the main lobe. Practical value. A method is suggested of radar immunity of radar stations is noise immunity due to “false” reflections. The potential of the method and the capabilities of the developed computer program determines the relevance of their capabilities for use by all radar stations at various frequencies, azimuths, ranges and terrain features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a double-layer patterned graphene-based frequency-selective absorber (DGFSA) is proposed as a means of reducing an antenna's radar cross-section (RCS) while simultaneously increasing its gain. The antenna consists of a patch antenna with Multi-Graphene Frequency Selective Absorber (MGFSA) mounted on top. The DGFSA consists of double-layer patterned graphene and a band-pass frequency selective surface (FSS). Two patterned graphene lossy layers with different square resistances are used, which broaden the electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption bandwidth of the DGFSA, thus greatly reducing the out-band monostatic RCSs of the patch antenna. Meanwhile, due to the quasi-Fabry-Perot (F-P) effect, the gain of the proposed antenna is enhanced by 2.4 dB. Additionally, the low-RCS antenna reduces the monostatic RCS from 1.32 to 17 GHz under y-polarization and from 1.4 to 16.8 GHz under x-polarization, respectively. Furthermore, a decrease in the bistatic RCS is accomplished. Results from simulations and measurements match up nicely, which means the antenna we proposed has a good application on the stealth platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro thin-walled structure of aluminum alloy LF 21 has a strong ability to reflect electromagnetic waves and is widely used in waveguide radar antenna. Micro-milling technology is a potentially effective technique for machining micro thin-walled structure of LF 21. However, LF 21 has the characteristics of low strength and hardness and high plasticity and is prone to plastic flow under cutting force, resulting in extrusion, accumulation, and other defects and easy to produce burrs. Then the surface roughness and surface residual stress are difficult to guarantee. To ensure the machining quality of micro-milling thin-walled LF 21, a 3D simulation model of micro-milling LF 21 process is established based on Abaqus to output residual stress. The validity of the residual stress output is verified by experimental results. Four-factor and three-level orthogonal simulation experiments are conducted, and a prediction model of residual stress is established based on the simulation results. Based on the response surface method (RSM), four-factor and five-level center composite design (CCD) experiments are conducted to establish a surface roughness prediction model and a top burr size prediction model. The validity of the built prediction models is verified by experiments. Multi-objective optimization (the minimum surface roughness, the minimum top burr size, and the maximum surface compressive residual stress) is transformed into single-objective optimization by using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-entropy weight method. Genetic algorithm (GA) is used to solve the above optimization problem, and the optimal machining parameters of micro-milling LF 21 are achieved. The optimal micro-milling parameters are as follows: the spindle speed n is 62,000 r/min, the axial depth of cut ap is 70 μm, the radial depth of cut ae is 65 μm, and the feed per tooth fz is 0.95 μm/z. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for precise positioning in noisy environments has propelled the development of research on array antenna radar systems. Although the orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) algorithm demonstrates superior performance in signal reconstruction, its application efficacy in noisy settings faces challenges. Consequently, this paper introduces an innovative OMP algorithm, DTM_OMP_ICA (a dual-threshold mask OMP algorithm based on independent component analysis), which optimizes the OMP signal reconstruction framework by utilizing two different observation bases in conjunction with independent component analysis (ICA). By implementing a mean mask strategy, it effectively denoises signals received by array antennas in noisy environments. Simulation results reveal that compared to traditional OMP algorithms, the DTM_OMP_ICA algorithm shows significant advantages in noise suppression capability and algorithm stability. Under optimal conditions, this algorithm achieves a noise suppression rate of up to 96.8%, with its stability also reaching as high as 99%. Furthermore, DTM_OMP_ICA surpasses traditional denoising algorithms in practical denoising applications, proving its effectiveness in reconstructing array antenna signals in noisy settings. This presents an efficient method for accurately reconstructing array antenna signals against a noisy backdrop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a broadband reconfigurable active frequency selective rasorber is proposed, which can be used as a radome for antenna radar cross section (RCS) reduction. By tuning the active components, the radome can achieve in‐band RCS reduction and reconfigurable absorptive/transmissive states. In the absorptive state, the max bandwidth with an absorption rate greater than 90% spanning from 1.62 to 5.37 GHz; in the absorptive/transmissive state, 2.2 GHz is the transmissive frequency with the insertion loss of 93% while absorbing in 0.94–2.06 GHz and 2.63–6.5 GHz, which demonstrate impressive characteristics of broadband and a high absorption rate. Additionally, the radome can maintain performance at ±35° angular incidence and is insensitive to incident wave polarization. Furthermore, it features a lightweight and low‐profile design, with a cell electrical size of just 0.078λ × 0.078λ × 0.066λ. The prototype test shows a noteworthy correlation with simulation. This study has wider applications in the electromagnetic stealth of communication antennas and aircraft, as well as in the control of electromagnetic pollution signals in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In scenarios with constrained physical aperture sizes, aiming to enhance the resolution and accuracy of Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation, this paper proposes a novel approach that integrates a moving synthetic virtual array with Sparse Bayesian Learning (SBL) for DOA estimation. Initially, a virtual array is constructed based on the motion characteristics of the target. Subsequently, the SBL method is employed to estimate the DOA of the target. Simulation experiments validate the effectiveness of this approach, demonstrating comparable DOA estimation performance to synthetic aperture methods with larger aperture sizes, even in situations with limited aperture expansion. Furthermore, under constant virtual aperture expansion, this method surpasses non‐SBL methods regarding DOA resolution. We explore the construction of a virtual array through the relative displacement induced by target motion. It further investigates the performance improvement of Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation resolution using sparse Bayesian learning within the context of a virtual array. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice thickness has a significant effect on the physical and biogeochemical processes of a lake, and it is an integral focus of research in the field of ice engineering. The Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, known as the Third Pole of the world, contains numerous lakes. Compared with some information, such as the area, water level, and ice phenology of its lakes, the ice thickness of these lakes remains poorly understood. In this study, we used an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a 400/900 MHz ice-penetrating radar to detect the ice thickness of Qinghai Lake and Gahai Lake. Two observation fields were established on the western side of Qinghai Lake and Gahai Lake in January 2019 and January 2021, respectively. Based on the in situ ice thickness and the propagation time of the radar, the accuracy of the ice thickness measurements of these two non-freshwater lakes was comprehensively assessed. The results indicate that pre-processed echo images from the UAV-borne ice-penetrating radar identified non-freshwater lake ice, and we were thus able to accurately calculate the propagation time of radar waves through the ice. The average dielectric constants of Qinghai Lake and Gahai Lake were 4.3 and 4.6, respectively. This means that the speed of the radar waves that propagated through the ice of the non-freshwater lake was lower than that of the radio waves that propagated through the freshwater lake. The antenna frequency of the radar also had an impact on the accuracy of ice thickness modeling. The RMSEs were 0.034 m using the 400 MHz radar and 0.010 m using the 900 MHz radar. The radar with a higher antenna frequency was shown to provide greater accuracy in ice thickness monitoring, but the control of the UAV's altitude and speed should be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fully integrated 24-GHz radar transceiver with one transmitter (TX) and two receivers (RXs) for compact frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar applications is here presented. The FMCW synthesizer was realized using a fractional-N phase-locked loop (PLL) and programmable chirp generator, which are completely integrated in the proposed transceiver. The measured output phase noise of the synthesizer is −80 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset. The TX consists of a three-bit bridged t-type attenuator for gain control, a two-stage drive amplifier (DA) and a one-stage power amplifier (PA). The TX chain provides an output power of 13 dBm while achieving <0.5 dB output power variation within the range of 24 to 24.25 GHz. The RX with a direct conversion I-Q structure is composed of a two-stage low noise amplifier (LNA), I-Q generator, mixer, transimpedance amplifier (TIA), a two-stage biquad band pass filter (BPF), and a differential-to-single (DTS) amplifier. The TIA and the BPF employ a DC offset cancellation (DCOC) circuit to suppress the strong reflection signal and TX-RX leakage. The RX chain exhibits an overall gain of 100 dB. The proposed radar transceiver is fabricated using a 65 nm CMOS technology. The transceiver consumes 220 mW from a 1 V supply voltage and has 4.84 mm2 die size including all pads. The prototype FMCW radar is realized with the proposed transceiver and Yagi antenna to verify the radar functionality, such as the distance and angle of targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A traveling-wave array of longitudinal slots in the broad wall of a waveguide offers greater impedance bandwidth compared to standing-wave slot arrays. Narrow-beam applications typically require a main beam at a chosen off-broadside direction and low sidelobes in other directions. Since a portion of the input power is dissipated in a load, wideband performance is achieved at the expense of reduced radiation efficiency. Without compensation for the effects of the array element radiation pattern, conventional array synthesis approaches produce sidelobe levels that do not meet the original specification. Existing remedial design techniques use optimization to address either sidelobe performance, impedance bandwidth or efficiency. This paper presents a new design approach that not only ensures that sidelobes specifications are met, but also achieves good impedance matching and high efficiency. The procedure is demonstrated using a 21-element array in standard X-band waveguide and performance is validated though both simulation and measurement.

Microwave and antenna systems have the potential to revolutionize healthcare by offering innovative solutions for medical diagnosis, treatment, and patient monitoring. Researchers in various fields are collaborating with medical practitioners to develop next-generation healthcare technologies. Examples include using microwave sensors for stroke detection in ambulances, microwave radiation for breast screening, and microwave-based techniques for cancer treatment. The recent advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning are also accelerating the development of microwave-based techniques. This special issue presents a comprehensive exploration of microwave and antenna systems in medical applications, featuring original research articles and reviews that highlight their transformative impact on healthcare. [Extracted from the article]

An SIW quasi-pyramidal horn antenna based on patch coupling feed with reduced machining difficulty and facilitated integration with the radar chip is proposed in this paper. Compared with the metal pyramid horn antenna, the Rogers 5880 dielectric substrate based on the SIW structure is used to form the horn structure and waveguide structure, which effectively reduces the difficulty of machining the antenna. The patch coupling feed structure provides a solution for integrating the SIW quasi-pyramid horn antenna with the radar chip. The proposed SIW quasi-pyramid horn antenna element achieves approximately 9 dBi realized gain, about 95% radiation efficiency and 8.2 GHz bandwidth (74.1–82.3 GHz). A four-port inverting power divider was designed to verify the feasibility of forming an array with antenna elements. The designed antenna array achieves approximately 14.5 dBi realized gain, about 80% radiation efficiency and 7.2 GHz bandwidth (74.3–81.5 GHz). Simulation and measurement results maintain good agreement for the antenna array. To further assess the impact of errors on the performance of the proposed antenna array, we have implemented a corresponding error analysis. The proposed antenna element and antenna array show promising potential for application in automotive radar systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wearable millimetre-wave radar antenna operating in 24.05–24.25 GHz for imaging applications in collision avoidance to assist visually impaired people is presented. Non-uniform excitation for the series end-fed 1 × 10 array antenna is optimized in simulation achieving a modified Dolph–Chebyshev distribution, which provides improved performance in terms of beam width, Side-lobe level and Gain. Commercial RO3003 and eco-friendly polypropylene (PP) are considered as substrates for comparison purposes, being the PP electromagnetically characterized for the first time at such high frequencies. Consistent agreement between simulation and measurement results is achieved for antenna prototypes on both dielectrics. The impedance matching bandwidth is analysed for the antenna on PP also under bent conditions. The overall size of the compact, low-cost, eco-friendly and flexible antenna on PP is 98.68 × 14.4 × 0.52 mm3 and, according to literature survey, it overcomes the state of the art on wearable radar antennas at 24 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doppler frequency carries the information about the relative velocity of the object regarding the radar antenna. However, since the target maneuvers can be temporary with high intensity, Doppler frequency has to be estimated by using a window function in the frame of time-dependent Fourier transform. In order to minimize the estimation error, the window function width should be adaptive. The window length adaptation has been performed based on the estimates of target acceleration and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this paper, we give focus on the SNR estimation and propose a new approach based on autoregressive method of spectral estimation, where in one step the amplitude of the sinusoidal signal and noise variance are estimated. The simulation results justify the advantage of the proposed approach in general applications of signal processing of one sinusoid in white noise environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This article investigates a compact π‐shaped circularly polarized Minkowski fractal antenna (MFA). The proposed radiator is taking a π‐shape with semicircular cuts along the opposite side of the patch with a V‐cut at the bottom. A second‐order Minkowski fractal curve is implemented on the bottom ground plane. The antenna element is powered by a coaxial probe. The asymmetric structure generates two orthogonal modes, which results in circular polarization. A maximum gain response of 7.1 dBic is observed in the impedance band width (IBW) covering 9.7 to 11.2 GHz. The patch is fabricated on substrate RT/Duroid 5880™ (휀푟=2.2). The antenna has a compact dimension of 0.90λ0 × 0.90λ0 × 0.05λ0 (fr = 10.45 GHz). A good match in the results validates the simulated and measured data in comparison with the existing models from literature with respect to diversity performance, thus making it suitable for radar applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic fall detection plays a significant role in monitoring the health of senior citizens. In particular, millimeter-wave radar sensors are relevant for human pose recognition in an indoor environment due to their advantages of privacy protection, low hardware cost, and wide range of working conditions. However, low-quality point clouds from 4D radar diminish the reliability of fall detection. To improve the detection accuracy, conventional methods utilize more costly hardware. In this study, we propose a model that can provide high-quality three-dimensional point cloud images of the human body at a low cost. To improve the accuracy and effectiveness of fall detection, a system that extracts distribution features through small radar antenna arrays is developed. The proposed system achieved 99.1% and 98.9% accuracy on test datasets pertaining to new subjects and new environments, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pipeline ground-penetrating radar stands as an indispensable detection device for ensuring underground space security. A wheeled pipeline robot is deployed to traverse the interior of urban underground drainage pipelines along their central axis. It is subject to influences such as resistance, speed, and human factors, leading to deviations in its posture. A guiding wheel is employed to rectify its roll angle and ensure the precise spatial positioning of defects both inside and outside the pipeline, as detected by the radar antenna. By analyzing its deflection factors and correction trajectories, the intelligent correction control of the pipeline ground-penetrating radar falls into the realm of nonlinear multi-constraint optimization. Consequently, a time-series-based correction angle prediction algorithm is proposed. The application of the long short-term memory (LSTM) deep learning model facilitates the prediction of correction angles and torque for the guiding wheel. This study compares the performance of LSTM with an autoregressive integrated moving average model under identical dataset conditions. The subsequent findings reveal a reduction of 4.11° and 8.25 N·m in mean absolute error, and a decrease of 10.66% and 7.27% in mean squared error for the predicted correction angles and torques, respectively. These outcomes are achieved utilizing the three-channel drainage pipeline ground-penetrating radar device with top antenna operating at 1.2 GHz and left/right antennas at 750 MHz. The LSTM prediction model intelligently corrects its posture. Experimental results demonstrate an average correction speed of 5 s and an average angular error of ±1°. It is verified that the model can correct its attitude in real-time with small errors, thereby enhancing the accuracy of ground-penetrating radar antennas in locating pipeline defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a method to calibrate a Software-Defined Radar (SDRadar) system mounted on an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) with an ultra-wideband (UWB) waveform operated in the near-field region. Radar calibration is a prerequisite for using the full capabilities of the radar system to retrieve geophysical parameters accurately. We introduce a framework and process to calibrate the SDRadar with the UWB waveform in the 675 MHz–3 GHz range in the near-field region. Furthermore, we present the framework for computing the near-field radar cross section (RCS) of an external passive calibration target, a trihedral corner reflector (CR), using HFSS software and with consideration for specific antennas. The calibration performance was evaluated with various distances between the calibration target and radar antennas. The necessity for the knowledge of the near-field RCS to calibrate SDRadar was demonstrated, which sets this work apart from the standard method of using a trihedral CR for backscatter radar calibration. We were able to achieve approximately 0.5 dB accuracy when calibrating the SDRadar in the anechoic chamber using a trihedral CR. In outdoor field conditions, where the ground rough surface scattering effects are present, the calibration performance was lower, approximately 1.5 dB. A solution is proposed to overcome the ground effect by elevating the CR above the ground level, which enables applying time-gating around the CR echo, excluding the reflection from the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of landslide hazard related to slopes in fractured rock masses is generally correlated with the probability of occurrence of potential rockfall phenomena. The propensity to detachment of rock blocks can be defined through direct or indirect approaches. The first, widely used for decades, is regulated by the International Society for Rock Mechanics recommendations, and provides for the definition of a series of parameters for discontinuities that cross a line designated by the operator, according to the so-called “scanline” methodology. The most applied indirect approaches are based on the construction of a 3D model of the studied front through input data acquired by a digital camera, laser scanner or radar. These two different approaches were used to analyze the discontinuities orientation of a rocky slope on the west side of Mt. Pellegrino (northern Sicily). In this context, it is essential to anticipate rockfall, given the presence of densely urbanized areas at the foot of the rocky slope. The main discontinuity sets were obtained from traditional geo-structural analysis and 3D Point Cloud model of the slope; the latter were derived by applying the Structure from Motion technique on frames captured during the surveys. The kinematic analysis applied to the obtained data allowed us to define from a geomechanical perspective, the main modes of failure. Moreover, back analyses were carried out on the already collapsed blocks to reveal the most likely rockfall volume and reached distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for drone-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems is growing, especially for applications in cases where satellites or airborne systems are not sufficiently flexible. However, the combination of a long operating range and high spatial resolution causes the atmosphere to pose challenges for these systems. In this article, we present our $K$ -band drone system that has a long range sensibility through modification to a commercially available radar. In addition, a moving baseline configuration has been integrated to ensure accurate attitude data, especially the heading. The desired spatial resolution is achieved by our proposed autofocus algorithm based on image sharpness. It is designed to also work in challenging cases of nonlinear flight paths and can be integrated into a processing framework based on back-projection. Several experiments were conducted to demonstrate the drone system's capabilities. These included a comparison with an established airborne radar: MIRANDA35. The obtained results demonstrate the ability of the drone SAR system to map wide areas at high spatial resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its inception, the frequency diverse array (FDA) has attracted extensive attention and research because of its unique properties. However, most of the research primarily focuses on linear geometry FDA, with fewer studies on planar FDA. This letter proposes a design method based on planar rectangular FDA (PRFDA), which adjusts the frequency of each array element nonlinearly so that the beam direction of planar rectangular FDA can change linearly or nonlinearly with time, forming the desired transmit beampattern. Theoretical analysis and simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]