Applications of Radar

In this section, we are going to learn about the Applications of Radar in a very detailed manner with each application that can be used in everyday life as well as in some other areas.

Also Read:

👉🏻 Introduction of Radar | Radar-Basics, types, working & Applications

👉🏻 Radar Range Equation | Radar Range Equation Derivation

👉🏻 Radar Display | List of displays used in Radar system

Table of Contents

Radar has been employed to detect targets on the ground in the sea, in the air in space, and even below ground. The major area of applications of radar are briefly described below:

1. Military Applications:

In the military radar has wide applications. Radar is used by the military, especially for surveillance purposes of enemy aircraft. The surveillance radar detects, locates, and identified enemy targets. It is also being used for providing navigation aids to military or as well as civil aircraft. It is also used for tracing targets and controlling weapons.

2. Targeting Radars:

Targeting Radar uses the same principle but scans a much smaller area far more often, usually several times a second or more, where s search radar might scan a few times per minute. Some targeting radars have a range gate that can track a target, to eliminate clutter and electronics counter measurement.

3. Navigational Radars:

Navigational Radars resemble search radar but use very short waves that reflect from earth and stone. They are common on commercial ships and long-distance commercial aircraft.

4. Weather Radars:

Weather Radars can resemble search radars. These radars use radio waves with horizontal, dual (horizontal and vertical), or circular polarization.

The frequency selection of weather radar is a performance compromise between precipitation reflectivity and attenuation due to atmospheric water vapor. Some weather radar uses doppler to measure wind speeds.

5. General-Purpose Radars:

General purpose radars are increasingly being submitted for pure navigational radars. These generally use navigational radar frequencies but modulate the pulse so the receiver can determine the type of surface of the reflector.

The best general-purpose radars distinguish the rain of heavy storms as well as land and vehicles. Some can superimpose sonar and map data from GPS position.

6. Radar Proximity Fuses:

Radar Proximity Fuses are attached to anti-aircraft artillery shells or other explosive devices, and detonate the device when it approaches a large object.

They use a small rapidly pulsing omnidirectional radar, usually with a powerful battery that has a long storage life, and a very short operational life.

The fuses used in anti-aircraft artillery have to be mechanically designed to accept fifty thousand gravities of acceleration, yet still be cheap enough to throw away.

7. Radar Altimeters:

Radar altimeters measure an aircraft’s true height above ground.

8. Air Traffic Control:

Air Traffic Control uses Primary and Secondary Radars.

Primary Radar is a classical radar that reflects all kinds of echoes, including aircraft and clouds.
The secondary radar emits pulses and listens for the special answer of digital data emitted by an Aircraft Transponder as an answer. The transponder emits a different kind of data like a 4-octal ID (mode A), the onboard calculated altitude (mode c), or the Callsign (not the flight number) (mode S). Military use transponders to establish the nationality and intention of an aircraft, so that air defenses can identify possibly hostile radar returns.

9. Law Enforcement and Highway safety:

The radar speed meter, familiar to many is used by police for enforcing the speed limits.

10. Earth Observation and Remote Sensing:

Radar systems are used in earth observation and remote sensing to gather data on the Earth’s surface and atmosphere. This information is used for applications such as monitoring land use and vegetation, measuring soil moisture, and monitoring the Earth’s climate.

11. Spacecraft Navigation and Communication:

Radars are used in spacecraft navigation and communication to determine the position and velocity of spacecraft and to communicate with ground stations.

12. Mining and Geophysical Exploration:

Radars are used in the mining and geophysical exploration industries to locate minerals and other subsurface resources. This information is used to determine the potential for resource extraction and to guide drilling and excavation operations.

13. Geological Surveys:

Radars are used in geological surveys to gather information on the subsurface structure of the Earth’s crust. This information is used to study geology and seismology, and to locate natural resources such as oil, gas, and minerals.

14. Asset Tracking and Management:

Radars are used in asset tracking and management to monitor the location and movements of vehicles, containers, and other assets. This information is used to improve logistics and supply chain management and to reduce losses due to theft or mismanagement.

FAQs on Applications of Radar

Answer:

Radar works by emitting a high-frequency electromagnetic wave (also known as a “pulse”) and measuring the reflection that comes back from objects in the environment. Here’s a step-by-step process:

Transmission: A radar system transmits a high-frequency electromagnetic wave into the environment. This wave travels through the air and bounces off any objects it encounters.
Reflection: When the wave encounters an object, it reflects back toward the radar system, creating an echo. The strength of the echo depends on the size and composition of the object.
Detection: The radar system has a receiving antenna that detects the reflected wave (the echo) and sends it to the signal processing unit.
Processing: The signal processing unit measures the time it took for the echo to return to the radar system and calculates the distance of the object from the radar system. The processing unit can also determine the speed and direction of movement of the object.
Display: The information from the signal processing unit is displayed on a screen or display device, allowing the operator to see the location, speed, and movement of objects in the environment.

In this way, radar systems can accurately detect and track objects in the environment, making it useful for applications such as air traffic control, weather forecasting, and military surveillance.

Answer: Radar is used in air traffic control to monitor and manage the movement of aircraft in the airspace. The radar system provides information on the aircraft’s altitude, speed, and position, which is used by air traffic controllers to ensure safe separation between aircraft and control and direct the aircraft during takeoff and landing.

Answer: Weather radar works by transmitting electromagnetic waves into the atmosphere and measuring the reflections to determine the location and intensity of the precipitation. The radar system uses this information to create weather maps and predict the movement of storms.

Answer: In military operations, radar is used for surveillance and weapons guidance. Radars are used to detect and track aircraft, ships, and ground vehicles, and provide early warning of incoming threats. This information is used to coordinate military operations.

Answer: Radar technology is used in many modern vehicles for safety applications, such as adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance systems. These systems use radar sensors to detect the distance and speed of other vehicles and alert the driver to potential collisions.

Answer: Radar systems are used in agriculture to gather data on crops and soil moisture levels. This information is used to improve crop yield and soil management practices.