UWB forward imaging radar for an unmanned ground vehicle

To increase mobility of an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), this study describes the use of forward imaging radar applying ultra-wideband (UWB) radar technology. When high resolution radar images for the front area of a UGV are visualized, the radar can support a UGV to detect obstacles through foliage. This system employs the bi-static configuration and two transmitting horn antennas. Also, a physical array of thirty-two receiving antennas is developed to provide the necessary aperture for cross-range resolution. For visualization of concealed objects in foliage, the back-projection method is applied to the acquired data from the receivers. To verify the effectiveness of the developed radar system, real field test is conducted. In this experiment, applicability of the proposed radar to a UGV is proved by analysis of image resolution and penetrating capability for grass.