Radome Assessment and Transmission Test System (RATTS)

Principle Investigator:
Mr Robert VOYLE, Chief Executive Officer, Aviation Services Research Centre (ASRC)

The Aviation Services Research Centre (ASRC) has developed a device to test the transmittance of aircraft radomes. Radomes, which protect radar equipment, are prone to damage and need regular maintenance. Traditional radome testing requires high-power radar and a testing distance of 50 metres, which is costly and space-consuming.

To address this, ASRC has developed a compact, low-cost system that evaluates radome transmissivity and displays the results as a heat map. The system uses a low-power vector network analyser to provide signals for the radar antennas, which are mounted on two robots. The system includes a turntable to scan the entire radome surface. By simulating the weather radar aperture, the system calculates the average transmittance of the radome in 45 specific test directions.

This new system is significantly more affordable, costing about 10% of traditional systems. Its small size makes it suitable for use in workshops.