Foreign object detection on airport runways by mm-wave FMCW radar

In this paper, a Foreign Object Debris (FOD) detection system using mm-wave FMCW radar is presented. Characteristic system parameters and tower allocation procedure are provided. Land clutter signal modelling is summarized. In the land clutter modeling scenario, besides the 3-dB beam of the antenna pattern, whole pattern is also considered to obtain a more realistic approach. FOD detection steps are summarized. The masking effect of the high RCS objects allocated outside the runway is discussed. Elimination of this effect by windowing is presented by simulations.