UAV Propeller Rotational Speed Measurement through FMCW Radars

The growing number of civil applications in which Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are involved can create many concerns for airspace security and surveillance. Gathering as much information possible about a drone be crucial to apply proper countermeasures if potentially dangerous situation is detected. Of course, the presence UAV detected by radar, but it extend system capabilities obtain additional information. For example, case equipped with propellers, radar-measured rotational speed could important classify type or reveal carrying some possibly harmful payload. In addition, measured through radar used different purposes, such detect manumission, estimate its maximum payload, predictive maintenance drone. Measuring propellers’ systems critical task, Doppler generated rotation very high, difficult find commercial market able handle high Doppler. Another problem caused typically small Radar Cross-Section (RCS) makes their detection even more difficult. literature, common techniques based on measurement effect produced propellers derive speed, due limited sensors, this approach applied only at low values speed. work, Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) proposed, exploits vibration propellers. phenomenon how sensor will presented, joined performance analysis comparing estimation indirect evaluate potential benefits proposed approach.