Wireless mediums, such as RF, optical, or acoustical, provide finite resources for the purposes of remote sensing (such as radar) and data communications. Often, these two functions are at odds with one another and compete for these resources. Applications for wireless technology are growing rapidly, and RF convergence is already presenting itself as a requirement for both users as consumer and military system requirements evolve. The broad solution space to this complex problem encompasses cooperation or codesigning of systems with both sensing and communications functions. By jointly considering the systems during the design phase, rather than perpetuating a notion of mutual interference, both system’s performance can be improved. We provide a point of departure for future researchers that will be required to solve this problem by presenting the applications, topologies, levels of system integration, the current state of the art, and outlines of future information-centric systems.

Survey of RF Communications and Sensing Convergence Research

This paper addresses target detection in passive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar networks comprised of non-cooperative transmitters and multichannel receivers. A generalized likelihood ratio test is derived, and approximate test statistic distributions are presented for both hypotheses under common scenario conditions. Analysis and simulation results show that this detector outperforms other passive MIMO radar detectors because it exploits more correlations within the measurement data. This detector is also compared against related detectors for active MIMO radar and passive source localization sensor networks. These comparisons reveal that passive MIMO radar detection performance varies between active MIMO radar and passive source localization detection performance as a function of direct-path signal quality. Therefore, passive MIMO radar unifies active MIMO radar and passive source localization sensor networks in a common theoretical framework.

Detection in Passive MIMO Radar Networks

This review explores radar-based techniques currently utilised in the literature to monitor small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drones; several challenges have arisen due to their rapid emergence and commercialisation within the mass market. The potential security threats posed by these systems are collectively presented and the legal issues surrounding their successful integration are briefly outlined. Key difficulties involved in the identification and hence tracking of these `radar elusive' systems are discussed, along with how research efforts relating to drone detection, classification and radar cross section (RCS) characterisation are being directed in order to address this emerging challenge. Such methods are thoroughly analysed and critiqued; finally, an overall picture of the field in its current state is painted, alongside scope for future work over a broad spectrum.

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Review of radar classification and RCS characterisation techniques for small UAVs or drones

Communication and networking technologies for UAVs: A survey

This work addresses the problem of target detection in passive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar networks without utilization of direct-path reference signals. A generalized likelihood ratio test for this problem is derived, and the distribution of the test statistic is identified under both hypotheses. Equivalence is established between passive MIMO radar networks without references and passive source localization networks. Numerical examples demonstrate important characteristics of the detector, namely, the asymmetric contributions to detection performance from transmitters and receivers, and non-coherent integration gain as a function of signal length. The ambiguity properties of this detector are also investigated, and it is shown that the salient ambiguities can be explained in terms of the time-difference of arrival, frequency-difference of arrival, and angle-of-arrival of the target signals.

Centralized Passive MIMO Radar Detection Without Direct-Path Reference Signals

This paper presents a passive radar system using GSM as illuminator of opportunity. The new feature is the used high performance uniform linear antenna (ULA) for extracting both the reference and the echo signal in a software defined radar. The signal processing steps used by the proposed scheme are detailed and the feasibility of the whole system is proved by measurements.

GSM passive radar for medium range surveillance

This study describes the processing scheme of the FKIE (Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics) GSM-based passive coherent location (PCL) system, which consists of an antenna and signal processing adapted to the GSM waveform and of target tracking based on multi-hypothesis tracking. To overcome the limitations from a single bistatic transmitter-receiver pair, fusion of the measurements from different geometries is the key component of a GSM PCL system. The authors demonstrate a significant improvement in target position estimation from the tracking process on the basis of real data and theoretical performance bounds. The impact of the transmitter-target-receiver geometry is discussed and the effect of the exploitation of prior context knowledge (e.g. clutter and land maps) on maritime traffic surveillance is shown.

GSM passive coherent location system: performance prediction and measurement evaluation

The widespread availability of consumer grade drones in the recent time has lead to new security and surveillance challenges. The detection and localization of these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) mark an essential step to identify possible risks at an early stage before taking appropriate countermeasures. This paper describes the results of an experimental trial conducted to examine the detectability of small UAV using a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) based passive coherent location (PCL) system.

On the detection of small UAV using a GSM passive coherent location system

In a previous paper we have demonstrated that GSM passive radar is well suited for maritime surveillance. In a follow-on experiment we have now extended these results to the case of tracking small, fast and maneuvering boats. We present our system design and discuss the challenges. Then the experiments with scenario and hardware setup are explained. Finally we present results for detecting and tracking a number of agile boats with small radar cross section.

Maritime surveillance with GSM passive radar: Detection and tracking of small agile targets

The application of GSM based passive radar to maritime surveillance is demonstrated by the results of a campaign, that has been carried out around the Bay of Mecklenburg. Using several dislocated GSM illuminators of opportunity, continuous and stable tracks of vessels could be achieved by fusion of multiple bistatic configurations.

Reda Zemmari

Papers

GSM passive radar for medium range surveillance

GSM passive coherent location system: performance prediction and measurement evaluation

On the detection of small UAV using a GSM passive coherent location system

Maritime surveillance with GSM passive radar: Detection and tracking of small agile targets

Maritime surveillance using GSM passive radar