# Micro-UAV Detection with a Low-Grazing Angle Millimeter Wave Radar

## TL;DR

This paper investigates the detection of micro-UAVs in rocky terrains using a 24 GHz FMCW radar at low grazing angles, addressing clutter challenges with adaptive CFAR detection and micro-Doppler analysis.

## Contribution

It provides experimental and analytical methods for UAV detection in cluttered environments, introducing a CFAR detector and micro-Doppler signature analysis for improved discrimination.

## Key findings

- Effective UAV detection in rocky terrain using low-grazing angle radar
- Adaptive CFAR thresholding improves detection accuracy
- Micro-Doppler signatures help distinguish UAVs from clutter

## Abstract

Millimeter wave radars are popularly used in last-mile radar-based defense systems. Detection of low-altitude airborne target using these radars at low-grazing angles is an important problem in the field of electronic warfare, which becomes challenging due to the significant effects of clutters in the terrain. This paper provides both experimental and analytical investigation of micro unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detection in a rocky terrain using a low grazing angle, surface-sited 24 GHz dual polarized frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. The radar backscatter signal from the UAV is polluted by land clutters which is modeled using a uniform Weibull distribution. A constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detector which employs adaptive thresholding is designed to detect the UAV in the rich clutter background. In order to further enhance the discrimination of the UAV from the clutter, the micro-Doppler signature of the rotating propellers and bulk trajectory of the UAV are extracted and plotted in the time-frequency domain.