PASSIVE HELICOPTER LOCATION BY EXPLOITATION OF ROTOR DOPPLER SPREAD

摘要

The passive radar detection and location of flying or hovering helicopters by using time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) and Doppler measurements in a bistatic configuration is proposed. The method exploits the fact that most modern helicopters show comparable maximum rotor blade tip speeds and that the bistatic Doppler spread of rotor echoes depends on the bistatic angle. No precise angular measurement is required to locate the target. The method has been demonstrated using an experimental low-frequency pulsed radar as non-cooperative illuminator and a passive experimental radar as receiver.