Low-cost jamming system against small drones using a 3D MIMO radar based tracking

This paper presents an anti-drone system which consists of a 3D Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) radar and a directional jammer working at 2.4 GHz. The radar is continuously scanning a certain area and waits until a target enters the area to secure. A tracking algorithm evaluates the movement of the target. If a potential threat is identified, the directional antenna, mounted on a two-axis gimbal, is steered to the target. With the use of a directional antenna, the control signal of the drone can be superimposed by a strong jamming signal which makes controlling of the drone impossible. Even if the drone would move further or back to its base station, the radar would track it and continue blocking the communication. This way, it is possible to secure critical infrastructure against most of the commercially available drones using WiFi frequencies or Global Positioning System (GPS) for control and payload transmission. The paper presents the system, its potential applications and a field demonstration.