Airborne Ground Penetrating Radar: Practical Field Experiments

The performance of ground penetrating radar (GPR) under conditions where the ground coupling of the antenna is potentially compromised is investigated. Of particular interest is the effect of increasing the distance between the antennae and the ground. In this paper, a field trial approach is used and the study is intended to complement a related theoretical model study. Preliminary results suggest that, in the case of moderately conductive survey conditions, it is possible to conduct meaningful GPR surveys with an antenna raised up to 2-3 wavelengths off the ground. Advanced GPR and imaging processing could possibly be used to extend this height even further. The findings of this study lend support to the concept of deploying GPR systems on mobile platforms, including low-altitude airborne vehicles.