After several years of research and development, the multistatic SAMURAI radar successfully detected drones in realtime.

One of the main challenges of multistatic radar networks is the exact synchronization of the distributed transmit and receive nodes in time and in space. Required precision was achieved by calibrating the radar measurements against virtual radar targets generated with two Palindrome radar target simulators.

After calibrating the radar with virtual point targets and virtual trajectories, the focus was put on real targets like drones, cars, persons and planes. The benefit of multistatic measurements could be demonstrated by tracking a continuously tracking a drone over several full 360° circles. Thanks to the two non-collocated receivers, the target could always be detected in non-zero Doppler conditions for at least one receiver. Real-time trajectory merging finally lead to continuous tracks.

Despite unfortunate weather conditions, an multistatic radar experiment was set up in the vicinity of our office. It consisted of one C-band phased array transmitter, two digital beamforming receivers as well as two dual-channel radar target simulators.

With the experiment we intended to establish limitations and advantages of multistatic radar networks. Virtual targets generated with our target simulators served as reference targets. Different target speeds, radar cross sections and approach directions were simulated in order to test the detection capability of the radar.

Our X-band polarimetric radar target simulator was on display at the 11th European Conference in Meteorology and Hydrology in Locarno, Switzerland. After COVID related conference interruptions, it was a great opportunity to catch up with leading weather radar scientists and operational radar meteorologists. As a conference sponsor, we took the chance to make the community aware of our radar calibration technology. From what we saw during the talks and the poster session, there is definitively a need for more accurate observations.