Using Software-Defined radio receivers for determining the coordinates of low-visible aerial objects

Abstract

The object of this study is the process of determining the coordinates of low-visible aerial objects. The main hypothesis of the research assumed that the signals emitted by airborne systems of airborne objects that are not visible to radar stations have a greater power than the signal reflected from the airborne object. This, in turn, could improve the signal/noise ratio and, accordingly, the accuracy of determining the coordinates of low-visible aerial objects. It is suggested to use Software-Defined Radio receivers to receive such signals emitted by on-board systems of low-visible aerial objects. It was established that the main sources of signals for Software-Defined Radio receivers are signals of command, telemetry, target channels, manual control channels, and satellite navigation. It was established that an additional distinguishing feature when determining the coordinates of low-visible aerial objects is the uniqueness of their spectra and spectrograms. The method of determining the coordinates of low-visible aerial objects when using Software-Defined Radio receivers has been improved, which, unlike the known ones, involves: – the use as signals for Software-Defined Radio of signal receivers of on-board equipment of low-visible aerial objects; – the use of a priori coordinate values of a low-visible aerial object; – conducting additional spectral analysis of signals of on-board systems of low-visible aerial objects. The spectra and spectrograms of signals of on-board systems of aerial objects when using non-directional and directional antennas were experimentally determined. The experimental studies confirm the possibility of using the Software-Defined Radio receiver to receive signals from airborne equipment and improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The accuracy of determining the coordinates of aerial objects when using Software-Defined Radio receivers was evaluated. A decrease in the error of determining plane coordinates by the Software-Defined Radio system of receivers compared to the accuracy of determining coordinates by the P-19 MA radar station was established by an average of 1.88–2.47 times, depending on the distance to the aerial object