Sensitive micro UAV detection based on a high-repetition-rate single-photon LiDAR

High sensitivity detection of micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is a key technology for defending against UAV threats. This paper proposes a single-photon light detection and ranging (SPL) that multiplexes wavelength and repetition rate, and incorporates parallel line scanning to achieve an efficient and uniform distribution of 8.1 million laser pulses emitted per second, thereby enhancing the SPL’s detection capability for small targets. We compared the performance of three mainstream single-photon detectors in high-repetition-rate imaging and demonstrated the 15-fps detection of a micro UAV at a distance of up to 340 meters using the superconducting nanowire single-photon detector. A promising approach is proposed for high-frame-rate detection and tracking of moving small targets, with potential applications in security, communications, mapping, and other fields.