RADAR SYSTEMS

Course objectives

GENERAL The principles of operation of a radar system are introduced, for the detection, the estimation of distance, angle, Doppler frequency and amplitude and for the classification. The characteristics of radio-transceiver apparatus and their requirements are studied in depth, together with the characteristics of the radar signals processing chain, with their performance The relationships are assessed among radar systems, waveforms used, signal processing techniques, operating environment, and the achievable performance, aiming at the preliminary design of the system and its processing techniques and identifying guidelines for its design. Waveform compression for phase-modulated pulses, pulse integration, control of a constant false alarm rate and clutter cancellation techniques are studied in particular. The following are introduced: (i) search, tracking and navigation radar systems, with reference to the control of piloted and unpiloted air traffic, naval and road traffic; (ii) Proximity radar sensors for presence, occupancy, movement, and behavior analysis for local surveillance in open and closed environments (iii) surface survey and imaging radar systems for environmental monitoring from surface, aerial and satellite platforms. The corresponding relevant problems of preliminary design are analyzed and addressed SPECIFIC • Knowledge and understanding: the student shall demonstrate knowledge and understanding of radar systems and their signal processing techniques. He/she must also understand how the basic principles and processing techniques are employed in different radar systems in their respective reference contexts. • Applying knowledge and understanding: The student must be able to apply the principles of operation and the radar signal processing techniques in a competent and critical way. The student must have adequate competences to both devise and support arguments, and to solve new detection and estimation problems. The student must set the radar systems in the appropriate position inside the wider systems for surveillance, navigation, monitoring, or Earth observation. • Making judgements: The student must be able to integrate knowledge and handle the complexity of the systems for surveillance, navigation, monitoring, or Earth observation. The student must be able to tackle a preliminary system design also in the presence of limited or incomplete information; reflect on the social and ethical responsibilities connected to the application of the technologies for surveillance, navigation, monitoring, or Earth observation. • Communication skills: The student must be able to describe the solutions selected while addressing the preliminary design of a radar system that fulfils assigned design specifications. • Learning skills: The student must be able to address the preliminary design of the systems in autonomous manner.

Channel 1
PIERFRANCESCO LOMBARDO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The operating principles and types of radar systems, monostatic and multistatic radars, continuous-wave and pulsed radars (7 hours). Single-pulse detection and its performance. Target fluctuation models, performance for fluctuating targets. Radar equation and sizing approaches (8 hours). Detection and measurement of time of arrival and velocity using a radar/radio receiver, range resolution, and pulse compression. Radar waveforms (Chirp, Baker, polyphase codes) and weighting for lobe control. Search and navigation radar systems, CW and FMCW radar, automotive radar (10 hours). Waveform compression exercises (3 hours). Doppler time and frequency ambiguity, Doppler frequency resolution. Ambiguity function and its properties (6 hours). Principles and performance of angle estimation: scanning and monopulse (2 hours). Coherent pulse integration and Doppler frequency resolution. Doppler filter bank and its design (6 hours). Clutter echoes, levels and statistics, and CFAR techniques in Gaussian clutter with exercises (6 hours). Conventional clutter cancelers, MTD bank for detection and estimation (4 hours). Airborne radar (2 hours) The principle of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and an overview of imaging radar (6 hours).
Prerequisites
The verification of learning takes place through three tests: (i) a written preliminary-design test (30% of the total grade), in which the student is asked to size the main design parameters of a radar system to meet the assigned requirements and to outline the processing techniques to be used. (ii) an oral test (40% of the total grade) that includes the answer to open questions about the basic principles of the sub-systems or the related processing techniques. (iii) an implementation test (30% of the total grade) that demonstrates the ability of the student to implement one of the studied radar signal processing techniques; this can be either implemented with specific software or described with a high level of detail. Test (i) can be replaced with "in itinere" partial preliminary-design tests carried out during the lessons on the Sapienza e-learning platform.
Books
• Principles of Modern Radar, Volume 1: Basic principles, Edited by Mark A. Richards, James A. Scheer, William A. Holm, IET Editor • Materiale integrativo (lucidi del corso) disponibili sul sito web https://elearning2.uniroma1.it/course/view.php?id=4792
Frequency
Despite highly recommended, attendance at the course lectures is not compulsory.
Exam mode
The verification of learning takes place through three tests: (i) a written preliminary-design test (30% of the total grade), in which the student is asked to size the main design parameters of a radar system to meet the assigned requirements and to outline the processing techniques to be used. (ii) an oral test (40% of the total grade) that includes the answer to open questions about the basic principles of the sub-systems or the related processing techniques. (iii) an implementation test (30% of the total grade) that demonstrates the ability of the student to implement one of the studied radar signal processing techniques; this can be either implemented with specific software or described with a high level of detail. Test (i) can be replaced with "in itinere" partial preliminary-design tests carried out during the lessons on the Sapienza e-learning platform.
Lesson mode
The course must be attended in the traditional in-classroom way. Moreover, the video-recorded lectures are progressively made available for the lectures. Therefore, also an asynchronous attendance is possible.
PIERFRANCESCO LOMBARDO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The operating principles and types of radar systems, monostatic and multistatic radars, continuous-wave and pulsed radars (7 hours). Single-pulse detection and its performance. Target fluctuation models, performance for fluctuating targets. Radar equation and sizing approaches (8 hours). Detection and measurement of time of arrival and velocity using a radar/radio receiver, range resolution, and pulse compression. Radar waveforms (Chirp, Baker, polyphase codes) and weighting for lobe control. Search and navigation radar systems, CW and FMCW radar, automotive radar (10 hours). Waveform compression exercises (3 hours). Doppler time and frequency ambiguity, Doppler frequency resolution. Ambiguity function and its properties (6 hours). Principles and performance of angle estimation: scanning and monopulse (2 hours). Coherent pulse integration and Doppler frequency resolution. Doppler filter bank and its design (6 hours). Clutter echoes, levels and statistics, and CFAR techniques in Gaussian clutter with exercises (6 hours). Conventional clutter cancelers, MTD bank for detection and estimation (4 hours). Airborne radar (2 hours) The principle of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and an overview of imaging radar (6 hours).
Prerequisites
The verification of learning takes place through three tests: (i) a written preliminary-design test (30% of the total grade), in which the student is asked to size the main design parameters of a radar system to meet the assigned requirements and to outline the processing techniques to be used. (ii) an oral test (40% of the total grade) that includes the answer to open questions about the basic principles of the sub-systems or the related processing techniques. (iii) an implementation test (30% of the total grade) that demonstrates the ability of the student to implement one of the studied radar signal processing techniques; this can be either implemented with specific software or described with a high level of detail. Test (i) can be replaced with "in itinere" partial preliminary-design tests carried out during the lessons on the Sapienza e-learning platform.
Books
• Principles of Modern Radar, Volume 1: Basic principles, Edited by Mark A. Richards, James A. Scheer, William A. Holm, IET Editor • Materiale integrativo (lucidi del corso) disponibili sul sito web https://elearning2.uniroma1.it/course/view.php?id=4792
Frequency
Despite highly recommended, attendance at the course lectures is not compulsory.
Exam mode
The verification of learning takes place through three tests: (i) a written preliminary-design test (30% of the total grade), in which the student is asked to size the main design parameters of a radar system to meet the assigned requirements and to outline the processing techniques to be used. (ii) an oral test (40% of the total grade) that includes the answer to open questions about the basic principles of the sub-systems or the related processing techniques. (iii) an implementation test (30% of the total grade) that demonstrates the ability of the student to implement one of the studied radar signal processing techniques; this can be either implemented with specific software or described with a high level of detail. Test (i) can be replaced with "in itinere" partial preliminary-design tests carried out during the lessons on the Sapienza e-learning platform.
Lesson mode
The course must be attended in the traditional in-classroom way. Moreover, the video-recorded lectures are progressively made available for the lectures. Therefore, also an asynchronous attendance is possible.
  • Lesson code10621509
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseElectronics Engineering
  • CurriculumElectronics Engineering (percorso valido anche ai fini del conseguimento del doppio titolo italo-statunitense o italo-francese) - in lingua inglese
  • Year1st year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDING-INF/03
  • CFU6