Drone detection radar is the backbone sensor for 24/7 counter-UAS awareness — working through darkness, fog, and against drones flying with no radio signal. Here's how it works, what detection range actually looks like, and how Midradar's radar systems compare.
Four principles explain almost everything about how a radar finds, measures, and identifies a drone.
A drone's RCS — roughly, how much of the radar's signal it reflects back — is the single biggest factor in detection range, more than the drone's physical size. A typical consumer quadcopter has an RCS around 0.01 m² (Midradar's own spec sheets use a DJI Phantom 4-class drone as the 0.01 m² reference point), while a passenger vehicle sits around 5 m² — 500 times larger. This is precisely why standard air-traffic control radar, tuned for aircraft-sized RCS, cannot reliably see small drones: the return signal is simply too weak relative to background clutter. Purpose-built drone detection radar solves this with higher transmit sensitivity, narrower beams, and clutter-suppression signal processing tuned specifically for small, slow, low-flying targets.
Midradar's product line splits across two bands for a reason. Ku-band (used in the portable MR-RDV05K) has a shorter wavelength, which supports a smaller, lighter antenna — the trade-off is comparatively shorter maximum range, which is why this is the portable, rapid-deployment model. X-band (used in the MR-RDT18K and MR-RDT20K) trades some portability for greater range and penetration through light precipitation, which is why Midradar's longer-range, fixed/semi-fixed systems use it. Neither band is universally "better" — the right choice depends on whether the deployment prioritizes mobility or maximum coverage.
Midradar's low-altitude surveillance radars use a mechanical azimuth scan combined with elevation digital beamforming (DBF) in a continuous-wave architecture — which lowers the radar's electromagnetic signature and interception risk compared with conventional pulse radar systems, while still delivering full 360° coverage.
Detection range isn't one number — it depends on the target's size (RCS). Here's the tiered, manufacturer-published range for each Midradar low-altitude surveillance radar.
| Model | Band / Architecture | Max Detection Range | Small UAV (RCS 0.01 m², e.g. DJI Phantom 4-class) |
Medium UAV (RCS 1 m²) |
Vehicle / Helicopter (RCS 5 m²) |
Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MR-RDV05K | Ku-band, mechanical scan + DBF | 5 km | ≥3 km | ≥5 km | ≥5 km | Portable, 12kg, rapid deployment |
| MR-RDT18K | X-band, mechanical scan + DBF | 15 km | ≥8 km | ≥15 km | ≥15 km | Mid-size fixed / semi-fixed sites |
| MR-RDT20K | X-band, mechanical scan + DBF | 20 km | ≥10 km | ≥20 km | ≥20 km | Long-range, high-density deployments (tracks ≥500 targets) |
A large East Asian coastal refinery and tank storage complex deployed three MR-RDT20K radars to cover an 8+ km open perimeter that previously had no UAV detection capability at all. The radars scan the full 360° azimuth and up to 3,000 m altitude, tracking ground and aerial targets simultaneously across three overlapping coverage sectors.
Documented outcome: the facility gained first-ever UAV detection capability over restricted production airspace, plus a reported reduction in nuisance alarms within three months of tuning completion, per the site's internal operational review.
Read the Full Case Study →Most professional counter-UAS deployments don't rely on a single sensor type.
| Method | Strengths | Limitations | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radar | All-weather, 24/7; detects "silent" drones with no active transmission; measures range and speed | Shorter range against very small RCS targets (e.g. FPV drones) than against larger UAVs | Primary detection layer |
| RF detection | Can identify drone make/model and control link; lower cost | Ineffective against silent or autonomous/encrypted-link drones | Identification layer |
| EO/IR | Visual confirmation and evidence capture | Affected by weather/light; generally shorter range than radar | Confirmation & tracking |
| Acoustic | Low cost | Shortest range; sensitive to ambient noise | Supplementary sensor |
Most professional counter-UAS deployments combine radar with RF and EO/IR sensors rather than relying on one alone — exactly the approach used in the petrochemical case study above, where MR-RDT20K radar cued MR-HTVC12035-2132 thermal cameras for visual verification of every detected target. Midradar's MR-AUS Counter-UAV System series integrates radar and RF detection with response capability in a single platform for sites with response authorization.
This is the real six-step radar-video fusion workflow used in Midradar's petrochemical deployment above — not a generic diagram, but the actual sequence the platform executes for every detected target:
Radar continuously scans 360° azimuth and altitude, monitoring ground and low-altitude airspace simultaneously.
The platform computes each target's position, speed, altitude, and projected trajectory in real time.
If a target's path intersects a configured alert zone, that zone's alarm rule fires automatically.
The nearest thermal/PTZ camera automatically slews to the target's coordinates and begins tracking.
Operators see the radar track and thermal/visible video together on one display for immediate confirmation.
Each event logs a complete evidence package: snapshot, video, radar track, coordinates, classification, threat score.
Application scenarios drawn directly from Midradar's deployed radar use cases.
Continuous low-altitude monitoring around runways and approach paths, coordinated with EO tracking for verification.
Wide-area 360° coverage for critical sites and border checkpoints, with radar-EO cueing to reduce false alarms.
Verified in production: an 8+ km tank-farm perimeter now covered by three MR-RDT20K radars, adding UAV detection where none existed before.
Surface and low-altitude target surveillance for ports and coastal facilities, including small-vessel detection.
Lightweight, modular radar units built for rapid, mobile, or temporary-mission deployment.
Where response is authorized, radar detection feeds directly into an integrated detect-track-respond system.
A practical checklist before you request a quote.
From standalone detection radar to a fully integrated counter-UAV system.
Portable Ku-band radar for rapid deployment — ideal for temporary missions, single-point perimeters, and small-to-mid-size sites.
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X-band long-range radar for airports, borders, and large-area critical infrastructure — the model deployed in the petrochemical case study above.
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Integrated detection, tracking, identification, and interference-response system for authorized-site protection.
View Full Specifications →Tell us about your site, and our engineering team will recommend the right radar — or a full detect-and-respond system.
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*We respect your confidentiality and all information are protected.
We will only use your information to respond to your inquiry and will never send unsolicited emails or promotional messages.