Microwave Remote Sensing Instruments

GAMMA Remote Sensing AG is a leading innovator in lightweight radar systems and advanced microwave remote sensing technology.

  • GLSAR

    Gamma L-Band SAR System
  • GSSAR

    Gamma S-Band SAR System
  • UAV compatible SAR Systems
  • GPRI

    Gamma Portable Radar Interferometer

Our portfolio includes state-of-the-art synthetic aperture radar systems—GLSAR and GSSAR—as well as the high-performance real aperture radar GPRI, and the precision radiometer ELBARA. In addition to our standard products, we offer contract-based development of specialized instruments—like the SnowScat and WBScat systems created for the European Space Agency.
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GAMMA Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Systems

GAMMA's compact, lightweight SAR systems are engineered for flexibility: With single or dual-alternating transmitters they support up to four parallel receiver channels—making them ideal for high-resolution imaging, SAR interferometry, and polarimetry.

L- and S-band systems

Gamma offers two different frequency bands: 

  • GAMMA L-band SAR (GLSAR), operating between 1.2 and 1.4 GHz, slant range resolution: 0.75m

  • GAMMA S-band SAR (GSSAR), operating between 3.0 and 3.4 GHz, slant range resolution: 0.38m

High performance GNSS/inertial positioning

Our systems come equipped with integrated GNSS-aided Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), delivering centimeter-level—or better—relative positioning accuracy. This advanced capability ensures precise SAR data processing, even along non-linear sensor paths. 

Versatil system integration

Designed for seamless integration, the SAR systems are mountable on a wide range of platforms, including vehicles, UAVs, and manned aircraft.

  • For UAV- and car-borne operation, we offer an ultralight carbon frame including the transmit/receive radar antennas and two GNSS antennas. With a total below 6.5 kg the complete SAR system can be attached to a UAV or mounted on an automobile's roof rack.

  • For airborne operation, the compact, modular design also allows easy integration on manned aircraft. Larger antennas with higher gain are available.

Time domain back projection and SAR applications

SAR imaging and further processing (repeat-pass interferometry, polarimetry, etc) is supported by the Time Domain Back Projection (TDBP/GEO) processor and the modules ISP/DIFF&GEO of the GAMMA Software.

More information

GLSAR

Gamma L-band SAR mounted on a car.

GSSAR

Gamma S-band SAR mounted on a car.

GSSAR

Gamma L-band SAR mounted below a UAV.

InSAR

UAV-borne L-band repeat-pass SAR interferogram
UAV-borne L-band repeat pass SAR interferogram

 

GAMMA Portable Radar Interferometer (GPRI)

 

The GPRI uses rotating real-aperture antennas to cover a full 360° field of view. The GPRI operates at Ku-band (17.2 GHz with 200 MHz bandwidth). Designed for mobility, the GPRI can be mounted quickly on a tripod or survey pillar. The real-aperture antennas limit signal decorrelation so that interferometric measurements are possible up to a radius of several kilometers, even on water surfaces.

 

First instruments were built in 2010, with a quad-polarimetric version in 2015. A bistatic version is available since 2016.

 

For details see instrument specification, download the GPRI info brochure (pdf) and browse the list of selected publications. A more extensive list of application-related publications is also available.

GPRI

instrument specifications
GPRI observing the Matterhorn east face.

 

ELBARA-II

 

The ELBARA-II is a 1.4 GHz radiometer, built to support ground-based signature studies and cross-comparison campaigns related to the ESA SMOS and NASA SMAP satellite radiometers. A first series of instruments was built under ESA contract. Further instruments were then specifically built for interested customers from academia.

 

Info brochure (pdf)

ELBARA-II

more info

 

Custom-Tailored Microwave Remote Sensing Systems

 

GAMMA also develops and implements specialized custom-tailored microwave hardware, such as the active microwave instruments SnowScat and Wide-Band Scatterometer (WBScat) built for the European Space Agency (ESA).

SnowScat

Scatterometer installed on a rail system for SAR tomography of snow