The Concept of a Multi-Beam Radar in the Smart City Air Traffic Control System

Abstract

The article provides insight into the technical implementation and characteristics of a multi-beam surveillance radar designed to work as part of the small-sized unmanned aerial vehicle traffic control complex in a “smart city”. In the article, it is pointed out that the advantages of this type of radar are a long range, resistance to weather conditions, quick changeover of the frame in a wide scanning area. The proposed technical concept is the one of the radar, which provides detecting drones at a range of up to 10 km. The description includes the design of the receiving phased array antenna and the structure of the receiving channel. The requirements for the dynamic range of the receiver are well justified, and the need to use automatic gain time control to expand the scan area in the range is clearly illustrated. The required parameters and characteristics of the equipment mainly correspond to the existing models of survey radars and the models being developed and are quite achievable with a modern technical base. The article presents characteristics of a multi-beam radar experimental sample and the results of its tests at observing drones. The tests have proven the predicted characteristics, and demonstrated the ability to effectively suppress reflections from the ground, as well as gave credence to the calculated detection range parameters and the strong immunity of the radar to bad weather conditions. The materials provided in the article are supported with the radar images received in course of the experiments.