LUAVR

System Overview

The Lightweight UAV Radar (LUAVR) is Goleta Star's primary Ka-band radar platform, engineered for integration on small unmanned aircraft systems operating in demanding environments. Designed for wing-pod or central-bay installation, the LUAVR delivers full synthetic aperture radar capability at a fraction of the size and weight of conventional airborne radar systems.

The system produces high-resolution video and strip SAR imagery alongside Moving Target Indication (MTI), allowing operators to detect and track ground targets through clouds, fog, rain, snow, and smoke — conditions that render optical cameras ineffective. A 360-degree situational awareness mode provides continuous obstacle detection for safe UAV operation at low altitudes.

Design Philosophy

Every aspect of the LUAVR is driven by the SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) constraints of small unmanned platforms. The current production configuration weighs 18 pounds with an active development path targeting sub-10-pound operation — enabling deployment on a broader range of airframes without payload restrictions. The 100-watt RF power budget is carefully balanced against detection range requirements to maximize mission endurance on battery-powered UAVs.

Capabilities

• Video and strip synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging
• Moving Target Indication (MTI) for ground surveillance
• 360-degree situational awareness and obstacle avoidance
• All-weather operation through cloud, fog, snow, and smoke
• Ka-band (35 GHz) millimeter-wave operation
• Wing-pod or central-bay airframe integration
• 10 km operational range

Applications

The LUAVR is well-suited for government and defense programs requiring persistent wide-area surveillance, first responder support in degraded visibility, and border or perimeter monitoring where reliable detection regardless of weather conditions is mission-critical. The system has been developed with support from government and defense agencies through competitive research and development programs.