Development of a Uav-Borne Pulsed ICE-Penetrating Radar System

Ice-penetrating radar is the primary geophysical tool for large-scale measurements of the geometry and internal prop-erties of the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets. These low-frequency radar instruments are typically mounted on crewed aircraft or towed behind snowmobiles, both of which introduce significant logistical challenges and costs. The availability of inexpensive, portable, and fully-autonomous uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) promises to reduce the cost, logistical complexity, and risk of collecting ice-penetrating radar data. We introduce a chirped radar system built around a software-defined radio (SDR) that can be carried by a low-cost and easily-transportable fixed-wing UAV. The antennas for the radar are fully integrated with the wings of the UAV and have a usable frequency range from 300–450 MHz. We detail the most critical design challenges and the solutions we have chosen.