Joint Active Passive Sensing using a Radio Frequency System-on-a-Chip based sensor

In this paper we present a dual active and passive radar experimental setup that uses the UCL ARESTOR platform. This is a multi-role RF sensor based on a Xilinx Radio Frequency System on a Chip (RFSoC) device. The system is capable of operating as an active radar, passive radar and wideband electronic surveillance receiver. Experimental results are shown that leverage 2.4 GHz passive radar experiments along with a 5.8 GHz active radar mode that are operating simultaneously observing a target of interest. Details of a bespoke designed RF front-end to access higher frequency bands are included within the paper as well as information on processing pipelines developed within the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Comparison of the target signature and how both modes could be best utilised are analysed and discussed. The target of interest within this paper is a person walking while being sensing by both modes simultaneously.