Design of a fast FMCW radar altimeter with high accuracy

Date

2023-9-11

Author

Atmaz, Ersin Tuna

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Frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) technique is preferred for radar altimeters for their ability to accurately measure range and velocity. Improving the range accuracy of FMCW radars has consistently been one of the main goals for FMCW radar altimeter designers. In recent years, advancements on FMCW radar technology led to fast and accurate range measurements become widespread. Altimeter design comes with its own challenges, as irregular power return from surface causes errors for radar detection algorithms. In this thesis we aim to design a fast FMCW radar altimeter with high accuracy. Based on requirements, FMCW radar parameters will be derived and outcomes of selected parameters will be discussed. Frequency estimation techniques will be employed to increase the accuracy. To validate the design, a simulation environment is constructed in MATLAB which is able to generate a virtual surface and measure the range and speed along a predefined trajectory. Range accuracy will be examined for different observation angles, terrains and SNR values. Depending on the results, safe operation zone of the design will be found. Moreover, accuracy of aforementioned frequency estimation techniques will be compared with each other.

Subject Keywords

FMCW, altimeter, fast, high accuracy, frequency estimation

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/105455

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis