Patent ID: 6686872
Filing Date: 2004-02-03
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
A system for in-place measurement of reflectivity of a radome of an airplane,the system comprising:a radar drive circuit that is arranged to generate radar signals having a predetermined frequency; an antenna that is arranged to receive the generated radar signals from the radar drive circuitry and to transmit radar waves at the predetermined frequency, the antenna being arranged to receive radar return waves from the radome, the antenna being in far field relation to the radome at the predetermined frequency, the antenna being mountable on a scanning apparatus that is arranged to scan a substantial area of the radome; a radar receiver arranged to receive from the antenna the radar return waves from the radome and generate radar return signals; and a signal processor arranged to process the radar return signals from the radar receiver, the signal processor being arranged to determine when magnitude of a radar return signal for a scanned area of the radome exceeds a predetermined level, wherein magnitude of the radar return signal in excess of the predetermined level is indicative of a degraded condition of the radome.