Multi-functional Sensing Platform for UAV With Dual-polarization and Microphysics-based Hazard Monitoring

Intelligent Automation, Inc (IAI) and its subcontractor, the University of Oklahoma, Norman propose an innovative sensing platform, which employs an X-band airborne weather radar. This adds significant enhancement to existing airborne weather sensors in detecting-avoiding a broad range of external hazards, and an integrated L-band transponder for communications with cooperative aircrafts/ground stations. By incorporating a simple monopulse beamforming technique, the proposed system has capability of detecting both weather hazards and air-traffics while avoiding complicated antenna array architecture. By leveraging dual-polarized antenna and transceivers, the system is able to identify and classify the atmospheric hazard types (especially for hydrometeors); a capability has been proven critical for ground-based weather systems. Furthermore, the architecture is able to support cross-beam turbulence and windshear measurements, thus 2-D or 3-D wind-field with associated hazard identifications can be displayed to remote pilots.