RADIKAL

Radar sensor technology for automated drone control with intelligent camera image processing and safe landing

Despite a few pilot projects, the use of small, unmanned aerial vehicles for transporting goods remains in its early stages. This area offers many new possibilities, but there is still a need for new solutions to specific problems. One such challenge is the imperative to safely detect obstacles during the flight and landing phases. The specifications for the sensors vary depending on the phase. During flight, it is essential to maintain visual contact with the drone's forward trajectory. Additionally, objects must be detected at greater distances due to the higher flight speed. On the other hand, when landing, it is essential to monitor the largest possible area below the drone. To localize objects and people, the sensor system should also have a high angular resolution when landing.

The RADIKAL project is researching the use of radar sensors that meet the different requirements of the flight and landing phases without being too large or too heavy to attach to the drone. Therefore, it is essential that the sensor be capable of supporting a minimum of two modes that can be switched during flight. Additionally, significant portions of the sensor must be divided to guarantee a compact and lightweight design. To detect the environment in different directions, it is necessary to develop an antenna arrangement that enables a significantly larger aperture angle than conventional sensors. It is imperative to address the issue of decreasing power densities with increasing aperture angles of the individual antennas. Integrated semiconductor circuits for generating radar signals are being developed and combined with assembly techniques to create innovative antenna configurations.

Project partners
Funding

This project is funded with a total 2.248.766 € by the European Union and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia as part of the EFRE/JTF program NRW 2021-2027.

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