Spaceborne-airborne bistatic radar for UAS navigation purposes: Preliminary analysis and strawman system identification

The study of a novel navigation system for Unmanned Airborne System (UAS) based on bistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is presented. The innovative bistatic configuration builds on spaceborne radar transmitters and airborne receivers, the latter mounted in a forward-looking geometry. Such approach, impossible or extremely demanding with a monostatic approach, allows one to achieve dual information with two different radar working modes: imaging capability can be in fact coupled with the possibility of moving target indication. The study is particularly suited on one of the most common UAS platforms: a close range, medium takeoff weight, with an endurance of roughly 7 hours and cruise speed of about 50m/s, whose requirements have been identified. The finalization of the study is achieved by the definition of a strawman system concept with different approaches. Four options are identified, with different performance and system complications/challenges. The study herein reported was carried out under ESA contract 22449/09/F/MOS.