The scale of the threat posed by Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS’s) is being demonstrated daily in the Ukrainian conflict where drones of all shapes and sizes are wreaking havoc on the battlefield. While this threat is very much a part of modern conflict, the threat to the public by terrorists or other bad actors using UAS’s is also very real.
The proposed solution is a multi-sensor passive system for UAS detection. In its initial form, the system combines ultra-wide-band (UWB) antennas in the microwave range and an AM band antenna, incorporating an infrared sensor in later stages. The information obtained at different bands is then combined to detect a possible target.
We have developed a multi-sensor passive system to detect Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS). The concept comprises a modular and extendable system that uses data fusion analyses to correlate UAS signatures in different detection regimes. This approach combines complementary sources of UAS signals for an enhanced detection method. The system remains passive, meaning no transmission is used for detection purposes. This allows the system to operate discreetly, without altering the UAS that it is being detected.
The multi-sensor approach employed by the passive detection systems spans technical fields including electromagnetic and radio frequency (RF) sensors, signal processing, and data fusion. Based on the technical background knowledge, a data fusion network, and prototypes of the EMR detection sensor, passive radar, and RF detection sensor are designed. A pseudo-distributed data fusion (pDDF) framework is developed for the multi-sensor analysis architecture that allows each sensor module to perform an independent analysis of UAS features with the ability to source data from other modules to aid in their analysis. The EMR sensor is mainly comprised of an active loop antenna and a portable spectrum analyzer or USB oscilloscope. The EMR sensor is mainly comprised of an active loop antenna and a portable spectrum analyzer or USB oscilloscope. The EMR sensor is mainly comprised of an active loop antenna and a portable spectrum analyzer or USB oscilloscope. The EMR sensor is mainly comprised of an active loop antenna and a portable spectrum analyzer or USB oscilloscope. A passive radar design is presented using a Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) B210 Software Defined Radio (SDR) and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) wideband antennas and amplifiers. GNU Radio is used to implement data collection software for the passive radar. A passive radar emulator is also designed to allow for hardware and signal processing validation without a TOO. Two configurations of an RF detection system are developed. The first employs a USB spectrum analyzer in a swept-tuned mode to monitor frequency bands of interest, while the second features an SDR-based design to allow for real-time monitoring of a single band of interest. Development is continuing with a focus on incorporating advanced Software Defined Radios (SDR) and increasing the integration level of the systems components, incorporating electronically scanned antennas and supporting wider bandwidths for satellite-based passive radars, and employing machine learning algorithms to perform target detection and classification for both the passive radar and C2 sensors.
In conjunction, with detection technologies, C-CORE is working with defence scientists at Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) investigating directed energy methods for defeating drones. The ongoing work is based around the development of microwave-based technologies that inhibit or damage drone components resulting in them becoming inoperable.