Toward A Compact and Reconfigurable Radar-UAV for Remote Vital Sign Detection

The use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) borne radar for search and rescue missions in post-disaster areas interests many researchers in recent years. In the case of the large observation area, effective and efficient technology is mandatory for the success of the mission to reduce the affected death toll. Since time is a challenging constraint in this mission, the use of multiple, compact, and small radar-UAV is the most prospective solution. Besides, the flexible and reconfigurable system is also desirable for easing the operation. Thus, this paper presents the development of a compact and reconfigurable radar-UAV employing software-defined radio-based radar and a small quadcopter. The development progress and preliminary result of evaluation and test of the developed prototype are presented and discussed thoroughly.