Method And Flexible Apparatus Permitting Advanced Radar Signal Processing, Tracking, And Classification/Identification Design And Evaluation Using Single Unmanned Air Surveillance (UAS) Device

A method for simulating, for a target tracking system, a first behavior characteristic associated with one or more of a plurality of airborne objects, the method comprising:

• configuring each of a plurality of respective emulator devices for attachment to a single unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), each respective emulator device comprising a first emulation component configured to provide, to a target detection system, a first characteristic associated with a respective type of airborne object;
• coupling, to each of the plurality of respective emulation devices, a plurality of respective first connection tethers, each respective first connection tether configured to operably couple a respective one of the plurality of emulator devices to the single UAV at a respective spacing from the single UAV, each respective first connection tether formed such that at least a portion of the each respective connection tether comprises a first material that is configured so that it does not substantially reflect RF energy;
• coupling the plurality of emulator devices to the single UAV via the plurality of respective first connection tethers;
• configuring the single UAV for flight with the plurality of emulator devices attached to the single UAV via the plurality of first connection tethers;
• and
• flying the single UAV, with the plurality of UAV emulator devices attached, within range of the target tracking system.

A system, comprising:

• an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);
• a plurality of emulator devices, each emulator device operably coupled to the UAV, each respective emulator device comprising a first emulation component configured to provide, to a target detection system, a first characteristic associated with a respective type of airborne object;
• and
• a plurality of respective first connection tethers each configured to operably couple a respective one of the plurality of emulator devices to the UAV at a respective spacing from the UAV, each respective first connection tether formed such that at least a portion of each respective connection tether comprises a respective material that is configured so that it does not substantially reflect RF energy;
• wherein each of the plurality of respective first connection tethers associated with the plurality of respective emulator devices, is constructed and arranged so that each of the plurality of respective emulator devices maintain at least the respective spacing from the UAV when the single UAV is in flight;
• and
• wherein the assembly, when connected to the UAV, is configured so that each respective emulator device emulates the first characteristic to the target detection system, such that, during flight of the UAV, the assembly presents, to the target detection system, a plurality of first characteristics emulating a plurality of airborne objects.