A Doppler Range Compensation for Step-Frequency Continuous-Wave Radar for Detecting Small UAV

摘要

Step-frequency continuous-wave (SFCW) modulation can have a role in the detection of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) at short range (less than 1-2 km). In this paper, the theory of SFCW range detection is reviewed, and a specific method for correcting the possible range shift due to the Doppler effect is devised. The proposed method was tested in a controlled experimental set-up, where a free-falling target (i.e., a corner reflector) was correctly detected by an SFCW radar. This method was finally applied in field for short-range detection of a small UAV.