Design of lightweight airborne MMW radar for DEM generation. Simulation results

There is a growing need for lightweight airborne platforms that could provide precise information about the environment (topography, presence of obstacles, etc.) filling the data gap between aerial/satellite remote sensing and terrestrial systems. A major limitation of classical sensors such as vision or laser is that they are ineffective in degraded visual conditions. Millimeter-wave radar provides an alternative solution to overcome the shortcomings of optical solutions, because in the microwave range, data can be acquired independently of atmospheric conditions and time of the day. The intended application of a new radar sensor is the construction of digital elevation models of the overflown environments. As the design of new radar sensors for light airborne platforms is subject to specific technological constraints, a simulator of airborne radar surveys is developed. The objective of the simulator is to help the designer in defining the main parameters of the future airborne radar, and in developing radar signal processing algorithms.