Radar Cross Section Studies of Low Signature UAVs in X-Band: Simulation, Measurement and Performance Evaluation

Abstract

In this study, the effectiveness of a radar cross section (RCS) reduction method based on a proposed shaping technique for four-legged unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has been proven with simulation tools and experimental measurements in X-Band. Simulative RCS values were obtained with CST and HFSS electromagnetic calculation tools, and the advantages of these tools compared to each other were examined. Experimental measurements were carried out in a laboratory environment with a vector network analyzer (VNA) and confirmed with simulation results. The effects of frequency, polarization and aspect angle factors on RCS were examined. It has been shown that with the proposed measurement method, low-cost and easily applicable RCS analysis can be performed in X-Band, one of the frequency bands frequently used in the defense industry. With the proposed shaping method, RCS reduction in the range of 5-10 dBsm was achieved.