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Virginia Tech

Pseudo Doppler Direction Finding System for Localizing Non-Cooperative VHF Transmitters with a Hybrid UAS

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Current radio direction finding techniques are limited in flexibility and focus on specific applications. Commercial off the shelf systems exist for a wide range of applications from navigation to search and rescue and wildlife tracking. However these systems rely on commercially available VHF receivers and are limited in transmission modulation techniques and frequency ranges. The majority of these systems are expensive which places them outside the reach of most individuals while the current open source designs require specialized skills and knowledge to build. The goal of this work was to design a low cost system capable of determining the approximate location of a non-cooperative VHF transmitter that could easily be implemented on a variety of unmanned systems. One unmanned aerial system was designed, built, and evaluated. Existing open source hardware and software systems were utilized for the development of the pseudo Doppler direction finding system, and work was conducted utilizing recursive Bayesian techniques to estimate the VHF transmitter's location. Results and explanations of system behaviors are presented along with limitations and possible modifications to improve performance and reliability.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Electrical Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Electrical Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2019

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Gerhard, William Edward III
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Tokekar, Pratap
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Wicks, Alfred L.
  • Baker, Joseph B. H.

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:21849
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/92199

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Gerhard, William Edward III. Pseudo Doppler Direction Finding System for Localizing Non-Cooperative VHF Transmitters with a Hybrid UAS. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/92199