A High-Frequency Motion Error Compensation Algorithm Based on Multiple Errors Separation in BiSAR Onboard Mini-UAVs

In this article, a high-frequency motion error compensation algorithm for mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based bistatic synthetic aperture radar (BiSAR) system is proposed. Compared with the traditional SAR system platform, the mini-UAV is more vulnerable to interference from the external environment. Thus, the motion error of mini-UAV-based BiSAR systems always contains both low- and high-frequency components. Meanwhile, the independent transmitter and receiver sources would introduce more than one high-frequency motion error component, and the variance of the high-frequency motion error also needs to be considered. This article first establishes a high-frequency motion error model and the corresponding Doppler phase signal for the mini-UAV-based BiSAR system. Then, multiple forms and multiple components errors are separated and estimated on the azimuth phase. Next, the complex spatial variance is accurately modeled and compensated by estimating the platforms’ motion errors. It is suggested from the simulation and experimental results that the proposed algorithm can compensate for the motion error with complex forms under the mini-UAV-based BiSAR system condition.