Seeing Beneath the Surface: Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) from Ground-Based Systems to UAV Integration

A public lecture by Professor Marlene Harter, Institute for Unmanned Aerial Systems, Offenburg University.

This talk introduces the basic principles of GPR and explores selected applications based on recent research activities. Particular attention will be given to Step-Frequency Continuous-Wave (SFCW) radar, illustrating how measurements over a wide frequency range can be used to obtain depth-resolved information. Building on ground-based GPR applications, the presentation will explore the next step of taking GPR into the air using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Current research on the design and integration of GPR antennas for UAV platforms will be presented, highlighting the potential of combining optimized antenna concepts, radar sensing, and autonomous aerial platforms for future subsurface exploration.