Dynamic dual polarized GNSS reflectometry using UAV

Abstract In this paper, GNSS-Reflectometry is performed using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Received GNSS multipath signal is utilized to perform environment remote sensing in dynamic and static flight modes. Right-Hand Circular Polarized (RHCP) multipath signal is recorded and its interference frequency is used to estimate the height of UAV above the ground surface. In the dynamic flight mode, the C/N0 level of the reflected Left-Hand Circular Polarized (LHCP) signal is used to indicate the presence of different ground surfaces. In comparison with the ground measurement systems, UAV provides a dynamic and flexible measurement platform, potentially significantly reducing the measurement time. At the same time, measurement signal quality is influenced due to the variation of the UAV altitude. The results presented strongly indicate the possibility of utilizing UAVs as measurement platform for remote sensing using GNSS multipath signal