Following the PSR, SkyRadar now presents the fully redesigned FMCW radar training system. It has enhanced resolution, many more features, unlimited concurrent users, a plug-an-play approach. The good news, it remains as economical as the previous version.
So what is new?
Technology is evolving and we want to keep in the pole position. So we had to replace the radar card and the included computer board for the data handling. With a very low output power at the transmitter (~ 75 mW) it is able to measure small objects in laboratory experiments, people up to 24 m and cars in a range of around 50 m.
Like the previous one it comes with an array antenna.
Resolution
We brought the range resolution to 15 cm and an angular resolution of around 1°.
Look at the picture below, and the incredible details. See below, where we dive into the details with the zoom function. The new floating panel approach allows for arranging several scopes next to eachother. Here we show two A-Scopes.
But you can well arrange PPIs or B-scopes. The quantity of floating panels is only limited by the size of your screen.
Plug and Play
With the new rotary tripod, the solution is even easier to assemble and takes only minutes to set up. The tripod now works with a stepper motor. It does not rely on a compass anymore, which may easily be disturbed by magnetic fields in your laboratory.
Place the FMCW on top of the rotary unit, plug in the connection cables and here you go.
The CloudServer now has router functionality. Consequently there is no complicated communication with the IT departments when setting up a bigger network. You can simply plug a wifi card into the server and operate the whole network wireless.
Completely new FreeScopes Software
FreeScopes for FMCW - the software that visualizes the scopes and controls has been completely reworked. You may want to look at the dedicated article on the new FreeScopes. Flexibel "floating" panels for scope and filter applications per scope boost FreeScopes light-years ahead of any other tool in the market.
Look at the following example where we compare the A-Scope function with and without STC.
New Functions
In the following we list a selection of new functions. To see all of them please look at the product data sheet.
Fast Fourrier Transform (FTT)
The fast Fourier transform (FFT) is an algorithm that computes the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) (source). Fourier analysis converts a signal from its original domain (frequency) to a representation in the space domain.
The new FreeScopes Virtual Lab does the FTT independently in the student's browser. The signal can be compared before and after FTT.
Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR)
CFAR is adaptive algorithm used in radar systems to detect target returns against a background of noise, clutter and interference. The role of the constant false alarm rate circuitry is to determine the power threshold above which any return can be considered to probably originate from a target. If this threshold is too low, then more targets will be detected at the expense of increased numbers of false alarms. Conversely, if the threshold is too high, then fewer targets will be detected, but the number of false alarms will also be low. (source). FreeScopes includes a comfortable UI to set the CFAR and to experiment on different settings.
Radar Cross Section RCS estimation
Radar cross-section (RCS) is a measure of how detectable an object is by radar. A larger RCS indicates that an object is more easily detected (source). We have added a graphical interface to select an object in the PPI and to derive its RCS.
RCS detection and estimation is an important prerequisite for all analytics and reasoning features, in particular applications of artificial intelligence in radar technology.
Windows Functions
For further going analysis, we added Hann and Hamming window functions.
SAR Function
When extending the FMCW based module with the SAR and the CloudServer Module, it can conduct Synthetic Aperture Radar operations.
24/7 Operations
The new Rotary Tripod and the new CloudServer give the system an enhanced robustness and the possibility to operate 24/7.
That makes sense when students shall get access to the radar remotely outside the laboratory time slots, to do the aftermath, or personal research. Also it allows ATCOs and ATSEPs to do remote training sessions On-the-Job (OTJ). for instance in the frame of ICAO Doc 10057 training for ATSEPs.
Existing Features that are worth mentioning
On top of this we should not forget existing advantages of the system:
- Unlimited concurrent users get access, which makes the system ideal for university training and large-scale but high quality ATCO and ATSEP qualification.
- Modern radar technology and Web-tech-based Scopes attract Millennials and innovative minds much more than the traditional and outmoded transistor-transistor logic (TTL) which is still offered in the market.
- Highly Economical Solution - yes we do not travel the world too much but put the money into our products. You can talk to us all the time, just by clicking on the chat window on the bottom right corner of your screen. So let us put our funds there where you benefit the most: in great technology and economical pricing (we are still around 1/3 of competitors' pricing). And as we are the only ones who allow for unlimited concurrent users, costs go down even further.
