FMCW Radar Design Project for Small Target Detection

Project Significance

This project establishes a foundation for understanding and designing FMCW radars. Successful implementation of objectives provides valuable knowledge and experience in radar system design and analysis.

Objectives

Design FMCW Radar Waveform:

  • Determine frequency sweep range and chirp rate for desired range resolution.
  • Choose modulation type, considering the impact on range ambiguity and Doppler resolution.
  • Estimate PRF based on maximum unambiguous velocity.

Estimate Power Budget:

  • Calculate minimum detectable signal power based on target RCS, range, and desired SNR.
  • Account for radar losses and atmospheric attenuation.
  • Estimate required transmits power based on the power budget equation.

Choose and Analyze Radar Components:

  • Select transmitter, receiver, and antenna components based on frequency range, gain, and power handling.
  • Analyze component performance using simulation tools or data sheets.

Estimate Detection Range:

  • Calculate radar equation based on chosen parameters and target RCS.
  • Determine the maximum detection range based on minimum detectable signal power and radar losses.

Develop Simulation Model:

  • Implement the FMCW radar system in the simulation environment (e.g., MATLAB, Simulink).
  • Analyze range profile and Doppler spectrum to demonstrate target detection capability. 

Deliverables

Detailed report with waveform specifications, power budget calculations, radar components selection, estimated detection range, simulation results, and functional simulation model.

Success Criteria

  • FMCW radar achieves a 15km detection range for a target with an RCS of 1-meter square.
  • The simulation model accurately demonstrates radar functionality and performance.
  • The project report is well-organized, concise, and technically accurate.

Expected Challenges

  • Balancing range resolution and maximum unambiguous range.
  • Choosing components meeting performance and power budget requirements.
  • Accurately modeling and analyzing radar losses and atmospheric attenuation.
  • Achieving high SNR for reliable target detection in the presence of noise.

Potential Applications

  • Drone detection and tracking
  • Autonomous vehicle obstacle avoidance
  • Surveillance and security systems
  • Traffic monitoring and management
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