Dynamic RCS Estimation according to Drone Movement Using the MoM and Far-Field Approximation

Abstract

Micro-Doppler signatures from the rotating propellers of a drone can be utilized to distinguish the drone from clutter or airborne organisms with similar radar cross section (RCS) levels, such as birds and bats. To obtain the micro-Doppler signatures of a drone, calculation or measurement of the electric field scattered from the rotating propellers is essential. In this paper, using the relative angle concept and far-field approximation, we propose a way to rapidly estimate the dynamic RCS of a drone with several propellers according to its movement. In addition, based on the fact that the shape of the propeller does not change even if it rotates, we construct an impedance matrix only once and apply the matrix to the method of moments instead of the iterative process of calculating the impedance matrix and inverse matrix for each rotation angle of the propeller. Finally, by using the Fourier transform of the results from the proposed method, the rotation frequencies of the propellers according to the movement of the drone can be obtained.