Drone Detection Using DTV-Based Passive Radar System

Abstract

Despite increasing threats from hostile drones, the conventional active radar system remains inappropriate for urban surveillance purposes. The digital video broadcasting-terrestrial (DVB-T) signal exhibits a wide bandwidth and high transmit power compared with FM or WiFi signals, and hence enables the design of simple, low-cost passive radar with wide coverage areas. In this paper, a DVB-T system is employed to construct a passive radar surveillance system, and its performance is assessed experimentally in terms of detecting airplanes and small drones. For this purpose, a simple passive radar is implemented using high-gain antennas and low-cost RF receivers. After the DVB-T signals received through passive channels are processed, target-detection scenarios are carried out for flying airplanes and drones.