Experiment Number : 1

Design and Simulation of Airport Surveillance Radar Link Budget Analysis Using Radar
Designer in MATLAB
Subject Radar System Design Subject Code 22EC829 Module - 2 Target-5
[RSD]
Registration 211FA05286 Course B.Tech Semester 1
Number
Name of the B.SAMPATH KUMAR Year of study 4 Section E
Student

1. Objective

To perform a link budget analysis and design an Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR) system that
meets specified performance requirements for detecting crewed and unmanned aircraft.

1.1. APPARATUS:

• MATLAB software with the Radar Designer app installed

• Access to relevant documentation and specifications for radar systems

2. Introduction
THEORY:

Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR):

ASR systems are essential for monitoring air traffic at airports, facilitating safe landings,
takeoffs, and ground movements. These radars typically operate in the X-band and use
microwave signals to detect and track aircraft within a specified airspace.

• Radar Range Equation:

o R: Maximum detection range

o Pt: Transmit power

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 o G: Antenna gain
o σ: Radar cross-section (RCS)
o L: Total losses (including environmental losses)
• Performance Metrics:
o Probability of Detection (Pd)
o Probability of False Alarm (Pfa)
o Range and angular resolution
o Tracking accuracy
• Environmental Factors:
Atmospheric conditions (such as rain and fog) and clutter from the surroundings can
significantly impact radar performance.

Procedure:-

1. Launch MATLAB and Radar Designer

• Open MATLAB.
• Start the Radar Designer app by entering:

2. Create a New Design Session

• Click on New Session and select the Airport Radar preset.

3. Rename the Design

• In the Radar parameter panel, change the name of the design to

AirportSurveillanceRadar.

4. Input Performance Requirements

• Set the following parameters in the Results table:

o Peak Transmit Power: ≤ 2000 W
o Detection Range for Manned Aircraft (RCS = 1 m): 300 m to 18 km
o Detection Range for UAS (RCS = 0.03 m): 300 m to 8 km
o Probability of Detection (Pd): 0.9
o Probability of False Alarm (Pfa): 1e-6
o Range Resolution: 30 m separation in range

5. Configure Target Parameters

• For Manned Aircraft:

o Set RCS = 1 m.
o Change the Swerling Model to Swerling 1.
• For Unmanned Aircraft:
o This will be configured later.

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6. Adjust Radar Parameters

• Main Parameters:
o Set the operating frequency to 9.3 GHz (X-band).
o Set peak power to 2000 W.
o Adjust pulse width for the desired range resolution (consider using a bandwidth
that allows for 30 m resolution).
o
• Antenna and Scanning:
o Set azimuth beamwidth to 2° and elevation beamwidth to 6°.
o Choose Mechanical scan mode for 360-degree coverage.

7. Evaluate Initial Performance Metrics

• Check the Results table and SNR vs. Range plots. Ensure metrics meet the specified
objectives for the staffed aircraft.

8. Incorporate Environmental Effects

• In the Environment panel, set Precipitation Type to Rain and select the ITU model.
• Input the precipitation level for 16 mm/hr and observe how it affects detection
performance.

9. Optimize Detection with M-of-N CPI Integration

• In the Detection and Tracking section, adjust the number of CPIs (Coherent Processing
Intervals). Test various configurations to optimize the Pd.
• Start with 3 CPIs and require at least 2 detections to improve detection probability.

10. Assess Unmanned Aircraft Parameters

• Change the RCS for UAS to 0.03 m.

• Set the maximum range constraint to 8 km.
• Analyze the performance metrics again to ensure compliance.

11. Export Design for Further Analysis

• Click the Export button and save the design as a MATLAB script. Also, generate a
metrics report for the results.

Result Analysis

1. Performance Metrics

• Manned Aircraft (RCS = 1 m):

o Achieved Pd: 0.91 at 18 km.

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 o Requirement: 0.9 (Objective met).

• Unmanned Aircraft (UAS, RCS = 0.03 m):

o Achieved Pd: 0.94 at 8 km.
o Requirement: 0.9 (Objective met).

Analysis: The achieved probabilities of detection exceeded the specified objectives for both
crewed and unmanned aircraft, indicating that the radar design is capable of effectively detecting
targets within the specified ranges.

2. Impact of Environmental Conditions

• Heavy Rain (16 mm/hr) Effects:

o Initial Pd without environmental loss: 0.91 for crewed aircraft.
o Pd after incorporating precipitation loss: 0.55 at 18 km.

Analysis: The significant drop in detection probability due to environmental loss highlights the
vulnerability of radar systems to adverse weather conditions. This emphasizes the need for robust
design strategies to mitigate such impacts.

3. M-of-N CPI Integration

• Integration Strategy:
o Initial configuration of CPIs: 3 with 2 required detections.
o Resulting Pd improved from 0.55 to approximately 0.80.

Analysis: M-of-N integration proved effective in enhancing detection probability without altering
hardware. This approach allows for greater flexibility in detection performance, particularly under
challenging environmental conditions.

Although the target Pd of 0.9 was not fully met, the integration strategy successfully brought the
system to an acceptable performance level under rain conditions.

4. Design Parameter Sensitivity

• Key Design Parameters:

o Pulse Width: Adjusted to achieve a range resolution of 30 m.

o Antenna Beamwidth: Set to 2° (azimuth) and 6° (elevation) to meet angular

accuracy requirements.

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 • Analysis: The adjustments to pulse width and antenna beamwidth were crucial in
achieving the desired performance. This indicates that careful tuning of these parameters
is vital in radar system design to balance range, resolution, and accuracy.

5. Overall System Performance

Summary of Findings:

• The radar design effectively met the objectives for both target types under optimal
conditions.
• Environmental factors like precipitation severely impact detection capabilities,
necessitating considerations for system resilience.
• M-of-N CPI integration is a valuable technique for improving detection performance,
especially under adverse conditions.

Recommendations:

• Further studies should explore advanced signal processing techniques to enhance

detection in challenging weather.
• Implementing adaptive algorithms that adjust radar parameters dynamically based on
environmental conditions could improve overall system performance.

5. Graphical Results

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 Figure 1: Radar Parameters

➢ Figure 2: Tracking Parameters

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 ➢ Figure 3: Loss Factors

➢ Figure 4: Target Parameters

➢ Figure 5: Environment parameters

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 ➢ Figure 6: SNR VS Radar

Figure 7: Scenario Geometry

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 Figure 8: CNR vs Range

Figure 9: Link Budget

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 Figure10: Environmental Losses

Figure 11: Pd vs Range

➢ Figure 12: Pd vs SNR

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 ➢ Figure 13: Blind Speed vs Unambiguous Range

➢ Figure 14: Vertical Coverage

➢ Figure 15: Metrics and Requirements

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 ➢ Figure 16: Types of Losses of a Radar

➢ Figure 17: SNR vs Gains and Losses

➢ Figure 18: SNR vs Range

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 ➢ Figure 19: Height vs Range

➢ Figure 20: Metrics and Requirements

Conclusion

This comprehensive experiment illustrated the practical application of radar system design
principles through the Radar Designer app in MATLAB. By performing link budget analysis and
evaluating performance under varying conditions, participants gained valuable insights into the
complexities of designing effective Airport Surveillance Radar systems.

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The analysis revealed that while the design met performance requirements under optimal
conditions, environmental factors such as rain significantly impacted detection capabilities.

Strategies like M-of-N CPI integration demonstrated promise for enhancing detection
performance, underscoring the need for ongoing research and development in radar technology to
ensure safe and efficient air traffic management.

Viva Questions

1. What is the radar range equation, and why is it important in radar system design?
2. Why did you choose X-band as the operating frequency for your radar? What benefits does
it offer?
3. How does the radar cross-section (RCS) of a target affect its detectability by the radar?
4. Explain the relationship between pulse width and range resolution. How did you calculate
the required pulse width?
5. What considerations influenced your choice of pulse repetition frequency (PRF)?
6. How did you address the impact of environmental factors, like heavy rain, on radar
performance?
7. Describe the M-of-N CPI integration technique. In what ways did it improve the radar’s
probability of detection?
8. What key performance metrics did you monitor during your design process, and how did
you ensure they met the requirements?
9. How did the choice of antenna beamwidth affect the radar’s detection capabilities?
10. Discuss the significance of setting objective and threshold requirements for probability of
detection (Pd) and false alarm rate (Pfa).
11. What insights did you gain from the SNR vs. Range and Pd vs. Range plots?
12. What challenges did you encounter during the design process, and how did you overcome
them?

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