Synthetic aperture radar imaging using a small consumer drone

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging is demonstrated using a small consumer drone. The entire imaging system including an ultra-wideband radar, antennas, and a single-board computer fits on a small drone and is controlled through a Wi-Fi connection. Motion compensation is carried out based on a prominent scatterer algorithm. The focused SAR image of four trihedrals is validated against simulation. Measured SAR images of a human and a car are also presented.