DGIST researchers conduct a drone-detection experiment using high-resolution radar on a research building rooftop. Photo: DGIST.
The Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) has developed ultra-high-resolution radar technology capable of detecting drones, unmanned aircraft increasingly being used over urban areas.
On June 16, DGIST announced that a research team in its Internet of Things and Robotics Convergence Division had developed Korea’s first technology capable of detecting distant targets in real time with two radar receiving channels.
The technology can detect low-altitude unmanned aircraft flying within a radius of 200 meters. Unlike conventional systems that employ numerous antennas to improve radar resolution, the research integrates two receiving channels and signal-processing technology in a compact system.
Results of the research were published in an academic journal of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
The team is working toward a system capable of detecting targets at ranges of up to 10 kilometers. It is also jointly researching multipurpose compact radars and military radars with Korean defense companies.
Senior Researcher Dae-gun Oh explained that radar systems for detecting and controlling drones in urban environments were attracting international attention for protecting the public from drone-related hazards. He said the team intended to continue related research, including smart unmanned systems for urban environments.
