L-Band (1.4 GHz) Polarimeter for UAV

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Sensor & Ground Station

The sensor employs a light-weight dual-polarized patch panel antenna with a 32-degree beam width. This results in a sensor footprint of 7 meters in diameter when flying at an altitude of 10 meters. Data is retained on the sensor until the ground station enters WiFi range. The ground station offers a user interface for sensor configuration and allows users to inspect raw data, including spectra and maps.

Cloud Processing (Optional)

Once the ground station establishes an Internet connection via an Ethernet link, raw data can be seamlessly uploaded to our server for processing and calibration. On the server, a series of automated steps take place, including filtering to eliminate outliers, de-striping, gridding, segmentation into polarized and unpolarized components, and the conversion into volumetric water content.

Polarimetry

The capability to dissect received microwave emissions into polarized and unpolarized components presents opportunities for research and addressing radio interference. At incidence angles of 30 degrees and more, soil radio emission is polarized. In forward models, the polarized component introduces an additional parameter for converting brightness temperatures into soil moisture. In other scenarios, the angle of the polarized vector may also be of interest. When the antenna is mounted at an incidence angle of zero (directly downward), polarimetry enables filtering out human-made radio signals.

Drone & Operation

Skaha Labs does not provide drones, but we can offer recommendations and guidance to help you select a suitable UAV.

It's crucial to note that sensors such as this feature a single beam, essentially functioning as a single-pixel camera that scans a field line by line. Typically, mapping a quarter section, equivalent to 160 acres, can be accomplished using a helicopter-type drone in approximately two hours. This involves flying at an altitude of around 30 meters with a scan separation of roughly 10-20 meters.

Ground station to internet	Ethernet
Sensor to ground station link	WiFi (2.4 GHz)
Sensor weight	1.0 kg
Sensor dimensions	35 x 35 x 4 cm
Antenna HPBW	32 deg
Polarization	Dual linear (horizontal & vertical)
Supply voltage / power	10 - 35 VDC / 10W
Number of FFT channels	256
Max. bandwidth	12 MHZ
Data outputs	Brightness temperatures of polarized, unpolarized, total power, percentage polarization, and polarization angle.
Theoretical sensing depth	5 cm
Integration time	750 ms
Operating frequency	1.4 GHz