A light-weight radar system ("LWRS") for sense and avoid applications in a vehicle, the LWRS comprising: a plurality of receivers (102(a), 102(b), 102(c), 102(d)); a plurality of transmitters (104(a), 104(b), 104(c), 104(d)); an obstacle database; and a processing device in signal communication with the plurality of receivers (102(a), 102(b), 102(c), 102(d)), plurality of transmitters (104(a), 104(b), 104(c), 104(d)), and the obstacle database, wherein the processing device includes a processor, and a computer-readable medium ("CRM") having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to transmit a plurality of transmit radio frequency ("RF") signals from the plurality of transmitters (104(a), 104(b), 104(c), 104(d)) to one or more targets in an environment of operation of the LWRS, receive a plurality of reflected RF signals at the plurality of receivers (102(a), 102(b), 102(c), 102(d)) from the one or more targets in the environment of operation, perform radar processing on the plurality of reflected RF signals to detect return signatures of the one or more targets, identify the one or more targets by matching selected target return characteristics of the return signatures against stored returns of known obstacles in the obstacle database; update the obstacle database with the identified one or more targets, remove the return signatures of known obstacles from the processed information; and provide obstacle data to one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle. a plurality of receivers (102(a), 102(b), 102(c), 102(d)); a plurality of transmitters (104(a), 104(b), 104(c), 104(d)); an obstacle database; and a processing device in signal communication with the plurality of receivers (102(a), 102(b), 102(c), 102(d)), plurality of transmitters (104(a), 104(b), 104(c), 104(d)), and the obstacle database, wherein the processing device includes a processor, and a computer-readable medium ("CRM") having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to transmit a plurality of transmit radio frequency ("RF") signals from the plurality of transmitters (104(a), 104(b), 104(c), 104(d)) to one or more targets in an environment of operation of the LWRS, receive a plurality of reflected RF signals at the plurality of receivers (102(a), 102(b), 102(c), 102(d)) from the one or more targets in the environment of operation, perform radar processing on the plurality of reflected RF signals to detect return signatures of the one or more targets, identify the one or more targets by matching selected target return characteristics of the return signatures against stored returns of known obstacles in the obstacle database; update the obstacle database with the identified one or more targets, remove the return signatures of known obstacles from the processed information; and provide obstacle data to one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle. a processor, and a computer-readable medium ("CRM") having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to transmit a plurality of transmit radio frequency ("RF") signals from the plurality of transmitters (104(a), 104(b), 104(c), 104(d)) to one or more targets in an environment of operation of the LWRS, receive a plurality of reflected RF signals at the plurality of receivers (102(a), 102(b), 102(c), 102(d)) from the one or more targets in the environment of operation, perform radar processing on the plurality of reflected RF signals to detect return signatures of the one or more targets, identify the one or more targets by matching selected target return characteristics of the return signatures against stored returns of known obstacles in the obstacle database; update the obstacle database with the identified one or more targets, remove the return signatures of known obstacles from the processed information; and provide obstacle data to one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle. transmit a plurality of transmit radio frequency ("RF") signals from the plurality of transmitters (104(a), 104(b), 104(c), 104(d)) to one or more targets in an environment of operation of the LWRS, receive a plurality of reflected RF signals at the plurality of receivers (102(a), 102(b), 102(c), 102(d)) from the one or more targets in the environment of operation, perform radar processing on the plurality of reflected RF signals to detect return signatures of the one or more targets, identify the one or more targets by matching selected target return characteristics of the return signatures against stored returns of known obstacles in the obstacle database; update the obstacle database with the identified one or more targets, remove the return signatures of known obstacles from the processed information; and provide obstacle data to one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle.