Measurements of Birds and Drones with L-Band Staring Radar

The mapping of low altitude airspace for drone activity using wide area surveillance radar requires both reliable detection along with an effective means of discriminating drones from other similar sized airborne targets such as birds that act as confuser targets. Classification algorithms that depend upon labelled training data are hampered due to a lack of appropriately labelled bird data. In this paper we present a practical means for control trials with a number of bird species to obtain field measurements using a staring radar. Preliminary results are presented from a radar installed in an urban region that will become a testbed for future measurement campaigns.