MOBILITY ENGINEERING Produced by SAE Media Group
MOBILITY ENGINEERING
Magazines
Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Development of a 94 GHz Radar System for Dedicated Bird Detection at Airports and Airfields

Utilizing a state-of-the-art 575 mW solid state millimeter-wave power source, the system, called BIRDAR™, the system successfully detected small birds at distances of 1.2 to 1.3 km and large birds, such as geese, at distances of 2.3 to 2.6 km during testing.

WaveBand, as part of a Dual Use and Science and Technology Contract in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration and the US Air Force Research Laboratory at Rome, NY, developed a 94 GHz radar to detect birds at airports and airfields that could potentially interfere with the landing and takeoff of aircraft. The requirements for the radar system were summarized as follows:

The radar system developed by Wave-Band was subsequently given the name BIRDAR™. The radar system concept is illustrated in Figure 1. BIRDAR™ detects and reports bird activity in the airspace surrounding airports to decrease bird encounters with aircraft. The antenna scans a 30-degree by 2.5-degree or 30-degree by 5-degree field of view, depending on the model selected. Separate transmit and receive antennas are used to increase the isolation between the transmitted and received signals. A video camera is mounted on top of the radar to capture imagery from the scanned area. The primary purpose of this feature was to assist in assessing the performance of the radar during its development.

Figure 2. Simplified Birdar Transceiver Block Diagram.

The transceiver consists of transmitter and receiver sections as illustrated in Figure 2. The transmitter produces a 94 GHz signal generated by the low phase noise signal source. The signal is amplified to its final value of 575 mW. The first stage in the receiver is a low noise amplifier, which increases the backscattered signal power captured by the receive antenna and lowers the composite noise figure of the receiver. The mixer downconverts the received energy into an intermediate frequency (IF) band that extends to approximately 5 MHz. After amplification and filtering, the IF signal is passed to the data acquisition card in the PC radar signal processor. The magnitude of the voltage supplied to the motor inside the antenna module controls the speed of the spinning drums. Other power supplies provide the required voltages and currents to the transceiver components.

Figure 3. Transmitted FMCW Signal.

The radar signal processor is based on a PC architecture. The PC contains a data acquisition card that digitizes the input IF signal and converts it into a frequency-domain, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectrum. The FFT represents the backscattered radar power as a function of range (measured from the radar location). There is one FFT range power spectrum for each 0.5-degree beamwidth spatial resolution angle scanned by the antenna.

The BIRDAR™ models produced for this research used an Agilent waveform generator, controlled through the PC bus to provide the linear voltage sweep that generates the FMCW signal. The magnitude of the voltage sweep adjusts the RF bandwidth of the transmitted signal to the required frequency deviation illustrated in Figure 3.

This work was done by Lawrence A. Klein and Lev Sadovnik of WaveBand Corporation for the Air Force Research Laboratory. For more information, download the Technical Support Package (free white paper) below. AFRL-0306

Topics:
Radar/LiDAR Systems Aeronautics Aerospace Aircraft Airports Antennas Aviation Cameras Detectors Electronic Components Electronic equipment Electronics Electronics & Computers Entry, descent and landing Entry, descent, and landing Public transportation systems RF & Microwave Electronics Radar Signal Generators Test facilities Transmitters/Receivers Vehicles
This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
Document cover
Development of a 94 GHz Radar System for Dedicated Bird Detection at Airports and Airfields

(reference AFRL-0306) is currently available for download from the TSP library.

Don't have an account?

More From SAE Media Group

    Magazine cover
    Aerospace & Defense Technology Magazine

    This article first appeared in the February, 2022 issue of Aerospace & Defense Technology Magazine (Vol. 7 No. 1).

    Read more articles from this issue here.

    Read more articles from the archives here.

    Overview

    The document is a Final Technical Report detailing the development of a 94 GHz radar system, named BIRDAR™, designed for dedicated bird detection at airports and airfields. This initiative was a collaborative effort between WaveBand Corporation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) under a Dual Use and Science and Technology Contract.

    The primary objective of the BIRDAR™ radar system is to enhance aviation safety by detecting birds that could pose a risk during aircraft landing and takeoff. The report outlines the radar's development history, calibration tests, and various field tests conducted at multiple locations, including Klamath Falls, El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, Salton Sea, Bolsa Chica Bird Reserve, and DFW Airport.

    The document includes a comprehensive summary of the test sites, data acquisition procedures, and major findings from the DFW Airport tests, which are detailed in a separate report prepared for the FAA and AFRL. The radar system's performance is evaluated, highlighting its effectiveness in detecting bird activity and its potential to prevent bird strikes, which are a significant concern in aviation safety.

    The report is structured into several sections, including an executive summary, program description, radar calibration tests, and lessons learned from the various testing phases. It emphasizes the importance of the radar system in mitigating risks associated with bird strikes, which can lead to costly damages and safety hazards.

    The report concludes with an overview of the radar's performance and the insights gained from the testing process, which can inform future developments in bird detection technology. The findings are intended to support ongoing efforts to improve airport safety and operational efficiency.

    Overall, the document serves as a technical resource for stakeholders in aviation safety, providing valuable information on the capabilities and advancements in radar technology for bird detection, ultimately contributing to safer air travel.

    Top Stories

    INSIDERMaterials

    Feature Image How Airbus is Using w-DED to 3D Print Larger Titanium Airplane Parts

    INSIDERAerospace

    Feature Image FAA to Replace Aging Network of Ground-Based Radars

    NewsUnmanned Systems

    Feature Image CES 2026: Bosch is Ready to Bring AI to Your (Likely ICE-powered) Vehicle

    NewsSoftware

    Feature Image Rewriting the Engineer’s Playbook: What OEMs Must Do to Spin the AI Flywheel

    Road ReadyTransportation

    Feature Image 2026 Toyota RAV4 Review: All Hybrid, All the Time

    NewsSoftware

    Feature Image Accelerating Down the Road to Autonomy

    Webcasts