Analysis and Control of a Robotic Telescope System for High-Speed Small-UAV Tracking

This article presents the system and control design, as well as the experimental evaluation of a robotic telescope-based uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) detection and tracking system. The system is evaluated in a laboratory environment and during field tests in rural areas. The prototype consists of a dual-axis direct drive telescope mount, two telescopes with cameras, and an additional camera equipped with a commercial lens for very short distances. The system is mounted on a tripod for deployable operation. The implemented control of the proposed system allows tracking of small UAVs with velocities up to 250 km/h over distances ranging from 100 m to 5 km, which is validated in a laboratory environment. During field tests in rural areas, successful tracking of a UAV with a maximum flying speed of 75.6 km/h over distances from 20 m to 4 km during several dynamic flights has been demonstrated.

Introduction

Rapid development and advances in uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) technology [1], and especially the usage of small-scale drones, with diameters in the range of few tens of centimeters, have led to a broad range of applications, such as cartography, construction and inspection, agriculture, search and rescue, and military applications [2]. However, several incidents by reason of misuse of UAVs for illegal purposes and threatening of critical infrastructure have been reported [3]. Especially, the recent Russian–Ukrainian war and the destruction of civil infrastructure highlight the need for effective counter UAV systems [4].