Estimation of Physical Parameters of Objects using UAV SAR

This paper introduces a method for detecting dielectric constant of materials using a UAV-mounted synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system operating in dual-polarization (HH-HV) mode. A compact polarimetric framework is developed based using four-component scattering decomposition derived from the covariance matrix. The approach uses surface and double-bounce scattering to estimate Fresnel and Bragg reflection coefficients. A hybrid model incorporating Stokes parameters is employed to separate surface, double-bounce, and volume scattering contributions. The dielectric properties of materials are inferred from polarization responses using both Fresnel and Bragg formulations. Field experiments were conducted with four plastic items placed on a low-vegetation flat terrain, captured using the dual-polarimetric UAV SAR. The experimental results demonstrate that plastic targets exhibit distinct scattering behaviors, and the retrieved dielectric constants align with the physical characteristics of the plastics and their environment.