Drone Detection Using Swerling-I Model with L-Band/X-Band Radar in Free Space and Raining Scenario

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, also known as drones, are being utilized increasingly in numerous fields due to their multiple applications. To ensure safe operations, these drones must be detected successfully in free space and raining scenarios. However, the current radars that identify larger targets, such as aeroplanes, may not be helpful as these drones are relatively small. To successfully identify a drone, the radar designer must carefully design the system using the attributes of the target to be picked up successfully by the radar. The characteristics of an X-band radar would differ significantly from those of an L-band radar. We examine the Swerling models and their application to drones to simulate the drones’ radar cross-section fluctuation using the Swerling-I model. The radar range equation uses the signal-to-noise ratio calculated from the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve to detect a drone using L-band and X-band radars in free space and rain scenarios. The analysis reveals that X-band radar experiences greater attenuation in rainy conditions than L-band radar, even though it possesses superior resolution capabilities at the same transmitted power. Nevertheless, the selection between these two radar types hinges on the particular detection scenario and prevailing environmental conditions.