Systems and methods for autotilting a ground-mapping radar

A system located on a host aircraft, the system comprising:

• a memory configured to store terrain elevation data;
• at least one component configured to provide height, position, and orientation information of the host aircraft;
• a processor configured to
• receive the height, the position, and the orientation information of the host aircraft from the at least one component;
• define a desired terrain area to be mapped, based on the received host aircraft's height, position, and orientation information;
• retrieve terrain elevation data from the memory, based on the desired terrain area to be mapped;
• and
• calculate at least one tilt angle for a ground-mapping radar function based on the retrieved terrain height value and the aircraft's height, position, and orientation information;
• and
• an antenna tilt system comprising an antenna and one or more actuators configured to move the antenna based on the calculated at least one tilt angle.

A system comprising:

• a means for receiving height, position, and orientation information of a host aircraft;
• a means for defining a desired terrain area to be mapped, based on the received host aircraft's height, position, and orientation information;
• a means for retrieving an average terrain height value for the desired terrain area to be mapped;
• a means for calculating at least one tilt angle for a ground-mapping radar unit based on the retrieved terrain height value and the aircraft's height, position, and orientation information;
• and
• a means for moving an antenna based on the calculated at least one tilt angle.