Airborne targets detection using weather radar

Abstract

This paper describes airborne targets detection possibilities using weather radar signals. During last two decades air traffics increased significantly. The airborne target like airplane or helicopter is a fast moving object on the radar horizon which gives strong Doppler echoes in received signal. In this paper we would like to show the results of simple processing echo from weather radar on Legionowo and show detected targets, which in our opinion are airborne. Airborne target can be a problem for the radar since it is a source of additional interference especially in wind farm regions. From the other side the weather radar systems after detecting airborne target like small airplane or large bird may share that information with Air Traffic Control systems extending Air Traffic Control knowledge about the airspace situation. Even if the weather radar from it's capabilities gives poor resolution of detecting airborne targets it is better to have any poor quality information about the target than no information at all. Airborne target detection possibility using weather radar will be discussed in this paper.