Stefan V. Baumgartner, Lucas Leonardo Lamberti, Sofia Judith Sanchez Urresta, Victor Mustieles Pérez, Thomas Börner, Michelangelo Villano, Gerhard Krieger
In this paper the Distributed UAV-SAR System of the DLR Microwaves and Radar Institute is introduced and technical details and challenges are discussed. This multi-static drone-borne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system consists of several octocopters equipped with compact, lightweight and software-reconfigurable multi-channel SAR sensors. It will primarily be used for the investigation and demonstration of novel radar applications, imaging algorithms and radar concepts for future NewSpace SAR missions. For coherent multi-static SAR imaging the spatially distributed radars must be synchronized and for single-pass multi-baseline interferometric and tomographic acquisitions the octocopters have to fly in close formation with pre-defined and controlled three-dimensional (3D) baselines. The used methods for radar synchronization and formation flight control are also discussed. The Distributed UAV-SAR System will be operational in the second half of 2026.