Dynamic RCS Modeling and Aspect Angle Analysis for Highly Maneuverable UAVs

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly significant in modern warfare due to their versatility and capacity to perform high-risk missions without risking human lives. Beyond surveillance and reconnaissance, UAVs with jet propulsion and engagement capabilities are set to play roles similar to conventional jets. In various scenarios, military aircraft, drones, and UAVs face multiple threats while ground radar systems continuously monitor their positions. The interaction between these aerial platforms and radars causes temporal fluctuations in scattered echo power due to changes in aspect angle, impacting radar tracking accuracy. This study utilizes the potential radar cross-section (RCS) dynamics of an aircraft throughout its flight, using ground radar as a reference. Key factors influencing RCS include time, frequency, polarization, incident angle, physical geometry, and surface material, with a focus on the complex scattering geometry of the aircraft. The research evaluates the monostatic RCS case and examines the impact of attitude variations on RCS scintillation. Here, we present dynamic RCS modeling by examining the influence of flight dynamics on the RCS fluctuations of a UAV-sized aircraft. Dynamic RCS modeling is essential in creating a robust framework for operational analysis and developing effective countermeasure strategies, such as advanced active decoys. Especially in the cognitive radar concept, aircraft will desperately need more dynamic and adaptive active decoys. A methodology for calculating target aspect angles is proposed, using the aircraft’s attitude and spherical position relative to the radar system. A realistic 6DoF (6 degrees of freedom) flight data time series generated by a commercial flight simulator is used to derive aircraft-to-radar aspect angles. By estimating aspect angles for a simulated complex flight trajectory, RCS scintillation throughout the flight is characterized. The study highlights the importance of maneuver parameters such as roll and pitch on the RCS measured at the radar by comparing datasets with and without these parameters. Significant differences were found, with a 32.44% difference in RCS data between full maneuver and no roll and pitch changes. Finally, proposed future research directions and insights are discussed.