UWB Radar
Currently we are working on a high-PRF and high-resolution portable radar unit in X-Band. This unit uses new techniques in DDS-based PLL technology to achieve its objective. The current objective bandwidth is 1 GHz with a maximum PRF of 1 KHz. This unit can be used to detect and track both slow moving objects such as humans, and fast moving ones such as UAVs. A prototype is expected to be operational by early summer 2015 where the acquired returned are analyzed off-line. Based on available funding and industry interest, a compact size unit will be produced by late 2015 or early 2016, most likely for personal protection.
UAV Sensors
Small and medium size consumer UAVs are available today as complete or customized kits from many vendors. The brain of these platforms is the flight controller, which ranges from open-source to highly integrated proprietary circuits. These platforms if carefully assembled, can carry small sensor such as time-of-flight cameras, wideband radars, and phased-array antennas. Gatlin Systems currently pursue the following UAV projects:
UAV Networking in the Air.
This project emphasizes on a single ground control station that operates multiple UAVs as a meshed network in the air. More precisely, in a two UAV system, one UAV can be configured as a relay station to control and operate the second UAV in a remote location that is not directly accessible by the ground station. Such a system can be used in rescue operations or environmental experiments where the target location is hard to reach. A very preliminary effort is underway to demonstrate a two-UAV system.
Smart Phased Array Antenna UAVs.
The objective of this project is to precisely and quickly map a rough terrine by a low-flying UAV. Another application is to create a high aperture antenna in the air using multiple synchronized small UAVs for detection and location of RF tags and ground emitted RF signals. This project is at the concept level and needs external funding.