Radars are designed through a systematic engineering process that begins with defining operational requirements and specifications. Designers select appropriate radar principles and technologies based on factors such as desired range, accuracy, resolution, and environmental conditions. This involves the choice of radar frequencies, antenna types, signal processing techniques and hardware components.
Detailed simulations and prototypes are often used to refine the design, ensuring the radar meets performance targets before moving to manufacturing and deployment stages.
Manufacturing a radar system involves integrating various components such as transmitters, receivers, antennas and signal processors into a cohesive unit. This process includes assembling electronic circuits, integrating software algorithms for signal processing, and calibrating the radar for optimal performance.
Depending on the application, radar systems can range from compact units for automobile collision avoidance to large-scale installations for military surveillance, each requiring specialized manufacturing techniques and quality control measures to ensure reliability and precision.
Radar signals are generated using a transmitter that emits short pulses of electromagnetic waves, usually in the radio frequency or microwave bands. These pulses are directed by an antenna system towards the target area or object of interest.
The transmitted waves travel through space until they encounter objects, at which point they reflect back to the radar receiver. By measuring the time it takes for these echoes to return and analyze their frequency changes, radar systems can determine the distance, speed, and other characteristics of detected targets.
Radar images are generated by a process called radar imaging, which involves synthesizing data from radar returns into visual representations. This process varies depending on whether the radar is operating in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mode or as a real-time imaging radar.
SAR systems use complex algorithms to combine multiple radar returns collected from different positions of the radar platform (such as an aircraft or satellite) to create high-resolution images. Real-time imaging radars capture and process radar echoes in rapid succession to produce dynamic images, often used in applications such as weather monitoring, surveillance and navigation