Lightweight, Miniature Sensor Payload for a Mini-UAV

The Air Force is interested in substantially improving the productivity of their unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) radar systems to provide all environment detection of targets as well as detection and tracking of air and ground threats. SAR/GMTI radar systems deployed on mini-UAVs are expected to be very effective at covering large areas of the battlefield, providing persistent, continuous ISR and serving as a means to cross-cue targeting sensors. When outfitted with advanced sensor payloads, mini-UAVs can be an effective means to deny the enemy sanctuary. These mini-UAVs have demonstrated their usefulness with optical cameras in past programs. This SBIR proposal represents an effort to add capabilities to these aircraft by adding a miniature radio frequency (RF) ISR sensor. Such a sensor offers many benefits for battlefield awareness while complementing the existing RF and optical capabilities of these vehicles. The RF sensor will expand the conditions under which the platform can be effective, providing all weather capabilities that include the ability to penetrate rain, fog, dust, smoke, and other obscurants which degrade the usefulness of optical sensors. This SBIR program is intended to develop a lightweight sensor system for surveillance that can be installed on a mini-UAV.