Evaluation of radio-over-fiber characteristics at airport for optically-connected runway surface foreign object debris detection millimeter-wave radar

Although small in volume, debris on the airport surface may cause severe damage to aircraft. To detect these obstacles, we have been developing optically-connected airport surface foreign object debris (FOD) detection 96 GHz millimeter-wave radar systems. The proposed runway surface FOD detection system will be installed in airports. This paper discusses the evaluation results of radio-over-fiber characteristics at Sendai airport, Japan. The millimeter-wave radar baseband signal, which is about 8 GHz, is transmitted to the radar antenna using optical fibers. The results show that the 8 GHz RF signal loss due to the buried fiber cables is less than 5 dB for the 2,100 m length fiber cable. In addition, other RF signal loss due to the 5,900 m length fiber cable and several fusion splicing points is about 7 dB.