Sense and Avoid (SAA) Radar Improvements

Helios Remote Sensing Systems, Inc. and SRC, Inc. will identify, investigate, and mature technologies that will improve cost, size, weight and power limitations and performance of sense and avoid (SAA) radar capabilities. We will perform a trade study to examine component technology and architecture alternatives, and we will develop system performance requirements. Our plan includes a comprehensive examination of potential multiple radar architectures, dual band operation, frequency scanned elevation search, and precision angular measurement techniques. Since the angular rate of change for near collision threats at long ranges is small, making it difficult to achieve an adequate degree of target state estimation using antenna measurements alone, we will investigate antenna angular measurement techniques augmented with a precision Doppler frequency method of collision threat declaration. Air-to-air waveform design will be pursued to ensure optimum detection performance during low altitude take off and landing, as well as during higher altitude flight. We will use the Global Hawk as a point of departure, although most of the techniques are directly applicable to smaller aircraft such as Predator sized UAS. The proposed solution will meet FAA regulation 7610.4 and derived requirements from published DoD/FAA documents. BENEFIT: The military and commercial opportunities for research, development and integration are numerous. Future efforts offer the opportunity for continued research and development, integration and validation of sense and avoid radars for a wide variety of current and future unmanned air vehicles. In addition, modification of existing radars to include a sense and avoid function may be a feasible option for many operational radars. Commercial applications might include high value commercial aircraft that would benefit from a non-cooperative collision avoidance sensor. If the technology can be produced in a cost effective manner, then any number of applications for smaller manned aircraft appear to be feasible as well.