Design and applications of airborne radars in the VHF/UHF band

The simultaneous need for ground penetration and high resolution dictates the use of frequencies less than 500 MHz for imaging ground penetrating radar (GPR) designs. It is possible to build such systems with good performance and yet not interfere with ground installations operating in the same bands. The total number of airborne GPR systems needed to saturate the market is small, (possibly less than ten), and so the buildup of noise in this spectral region occupied by these radars will be negligible. This is fortunate, since there is a clear need for such radars in such areas as humanitarian demining and unexploded ordnance (UXO) mapping. Some formal set of guidelines is needed beyond that given in Part 15 of the FCC regulations, which both recognizes the need for airborne UWB radar operations, and still protects licensed users in the band.