Methods of Detecting Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Currently, there is an acute problem of detecting small-sized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to prevent unauthorized access to protected objects. The article discusses modern methods for detecting miniature and microminiature UAVs, their implementation features, advantages and disadvantages. A comparative analysis of existing and promising methods for constructing a detection system is presented. The authors propose an active acoustic method for detecting miniature and microminiature UAVs. This method is based on the estimation of Doppler frequency shift and amplitude change using ultrasonic wave as a probing signal. Preliminary tests have shown its performance at distances up to 15 meters using a continuous wave ultrasound at a operating frequency of 20 kHz and a radiation power of 0.3 W. An ultrasonic piezoceramic transducer is used as a transmitting and receiving device. The results of the comparative analysis allow promising research for the development of a detection system for miniature and microminiature UAVs.