Small Drone Detection Using Hybrid Beamforming 24 GHz Fully Integrated CMOS Radar

초록

This paper presents a compact 24 GHz radar with a 4-transmit (4Tx) and 4-receive (4Rx) CMOS radar IC, integrated with a 4 x 4 Tx array and four 1 x 4 receive Rx array antennas, optimized for enhancing small drone detection. By employing the hybrid beamforming technique based on analog beamforming on the transmit side and independent four-channel digital reception, the proposed radar achieves high spatial resolution and robust target tracking. The proposed radar features an elevation scan range of +/- 45 degrees with an azimuth fan-beam half-power beamwidth (HPBW) of 80 degrees for a comprehensive detection field. Tests with a small drone measuring 20.3 x 15.9 x 7 cm3, positioned at various elevation angles of up to 45 degrees and azimuth angles of up to +/- 60 degrees at a distance of 4 m from the radar, verified its detection capability and highlighted the radar's effectiveness in tracking small aerial targets. This architecture emphasizes the advantages of analog beamforming on Tx and multi-channel Rx, addressing the increasing demands for precise drone detection and monitoring in both civilian and defense domains.

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