Status: Millimeter Wave (MMW) Safeguarding Radar

Radar Testing Report from Alex Foessel

The radar performs well. The radar unit has been permanently kept outside and the acquisition system inside the endurance tent. The video subsystem is unstable with the power variations produced by small generator (the other is by the robot) therefore is not used for some measurements.

Took scans (10 frames each) of a scene with elevations of the sensor from 0 deg to -14 deg every 2 deg. The measurements taken while having plenty of snow flying on fresh snow terrain.
Took scans (10 frames each) of a scene with elevations of the sensor from 0 deg to -14 deg every 2 deg on fresh snow to evaluate backscatter at different grazing angles.
Repeated last set of measurements to study backscatter on packed snow surface (snow runway). This presented a more rugged surface that should return more energy.
Took measurements of the surface blue ice backscatter. Measuremets every 2 degrees from 0 to 14 degrees from the horizontal plane. The importance of performing grazing angle test over blue ice us that might be the most specular (on top of being spectacular!) surface.

Gathered several (40) frames of radar data from the same scene to understand the variation of the signal received caused by the flying snow. In the process of calculating the noise level produced by the snow. The scene is captured in digital photos. It has metal, wooden and snow surfaces.
Acquired several (44) frames of radar data from a scene under absence of flying snow to estimate the level of noise introduced by this phenomena. This data is compared to the one taken with flying snow in order to compare the noise introduced by this phenomena.

Simulated the displacement of a robot with a radar sensor moving it along 3 m in steps of 25 cm towards a pile of snow of 50 cm high and a ditch 50 cm deep. The depression angle of the sensor was 14 deg. The data will provide a realistic example of a robot with a radar mounted approaching typical obstacles.