The UK's East Midlands Airport is to deploy the first high-frequency (HF) radar system for ground movement control, designed to eliminate blind spots and require less support infrastructure. The SMR+ system, developed by UK research agency Qinetiq and Flight Refuelling (FRL), comprises a network of distributed millimetre wave (MMW) radar heads integrated with an FRL RDS 1600 data processor and display unit.
Conventional surface movement radar systems tend to use large single antennas mounted on remote towers or the control tower. These single-sensor installations suffer from blind spots, but the East Midlands solution takes advantage of a distributed HF sensor concept to provide a more complete surveillance picture for surface movement control. Areas of special interest can be specifically targeted by the sensors.
The sensors operate at 77GHz and are based on commercially available off-the-shelf components. The MMW radar can detect small objects at up to 2km (1nm) away. This allows SMR+ to be used with Qinetiq's Tarsier runway debris surveillance system, and for bird detection (Flight International, 12-18 February).
Source: Flight International