Technology
UAVSAR-L
The L-band radar utilizes an electronically scanned array antenna to provide robust repeat-pass interferometry for observing surface deformation such as volcano and earthquake fault activities, vegetation structure and soil moisture changes, levee health, oil spill, and flooding.![White UAVSAR radar pod mounted under the belly of the Gulfstream-III jet](/images/pod-in-flight.jpg)
UAVSAR-P (AirMOSS)
The long wavelength P-band radar is designed for subsurface and sub-canopy imaging applications such as monitoring root zone soil moisture, forest and permafrost changes, and detecting underground structures and subsurface changes.![P-band antenna on the underside of the radar pod](/images/p-band-antenna.jpg)
UAVSAR-Ka (GLISTIN-A)
UAVSAR-Ka is a state-of-the-art Ka-band airborne single-pass interferometric SAR designed to map land surface topography.![UAVSAR's radar pod with Ka-band antenna showing on the side](/images/ka-band-pod.png)
Aircraft
UAVSAR flies on a Gulfstream-III (G3) jet with a precision autopilot that controls the airplane so that it can fly the same path within 10 m (33 ft).![Gulfstream-III jet](/images/gulfstream-III.jpg)
Calibration
Careful calibration of the radar is required in order to produce image brightnesses and polarimetric phases that are accurate enough to derive physically meaningful products.![Corner reflector at Rosamond, CA](/images/corner-reflector.jpg)
Processing
UAVSAR produces polarimetric (PolSAR) and interferometric (repeat-pass InSAR) products that highlight different features and show changes in the earth over time.![Mexicali earthquake interferogram](/images/mexicali-earthquake.jpg)