Patent ID: 6054947
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: G01S,H01Q

Abstract:
A radar system for a helicopter for mapping a target location, said helicopter having a rotor and a plurality of rotorblades, each of the rotorblades having a shaft portion which is coupled to the rotor and a blade portion with a top side, a bottom side, a free end, and a shaft end, said radar system comprising:a) a transmitter means for transmitting a radar beam;b) a receiver means for receiving a reflection of the radar energy from the target location;c) a reflectarray on the blade portion of at least one of the rotorblades at a location other than at the free end;d) directing means for directing the radar beam from said transmitter means toward said reflectarray and for directing the echo of the radar beam from said reflectarray to said receiving means;e) processing means coupled to said receiver means for processing data related to the energy reflection received by said receiver means;f) display means coupled to said processing means for displaying a radar map of the target location based on the data from the processing means,said reflectarray adapted to passively shape and reflect the radar beam toward the target location and to passively shape and reflect the energy reflection of the radar beam returning from the target location into the directing means.