Two-Way Ranging (TWR) is a widely used method for distance estimation in asynchronous wireless networks, but the deviation between the clocks can lead to errors in distance estimation. The ultra-wideband (UWB) technology provides the best accuracy in distance estimation, but total emission time is drastically limited by harmonized standards. Localization accuracy, latency and network scalability are key performance metrics in wireless location characterization. This article advances a new sequencing of the localization process, called Double-Beacon Two-Way Ranging (DB-TWR) algorithm, and presents the related time-of-flight (ToF) estimation formula, which is able to compensate for clock error and to reduce the localization period. The Fine Time Measurement (FTM) protocol, specified by the Wireless LAN (WLAN) standard, uses the TWR method and as a result the clock deviation leads to systematic errors in ToF estimation. The paper proposes two additional timestamps captures and a new ToF computation formula which compensates for clock deviation. The article provides a theoretical analysis and extensive simulations of errors propagation in the ranging process, both as a mean and as an uncertainty, and proves that the designed algorithms cancel the clock offsets entirely.

UAV communications have seen a rapid rise in the last few years. The drone class of UAV has particularly become more widespread around the world, and illicit behavior using drones has become a problem. Therefore, localization, tracking, and even taking control of drones have also gained interest. Knowing the frequency of a target signal, its position can be determined (as the angle of arrival with respect to a fixed receiver point) using radio frequency-based localization techniques. One such technique is represented by the subspace-based algorithms that offer highly accurate results. This paper presents the implementation of the MUSIC algorithm on an SDR-based system using a uniform circular antenna array and its experimental evaluation in relevant outdoor environments for drone localization. The results show the capability of the system to indicate the AoA of the target signal. The results are compared with the actual direction computed from the log files of the drone application and validated with a professional direction-finding solution (i.e., Narda SignalShark equipped with the automatic direction-finding antenna).

This paper presents a comprehensive study on monopulse secondary surveillance radar (MSSR) coverage. The design and radiation pattern of an improved MSSR antenna is presented herein, highlighting the horizontal and vertical factors of the SUM beam. Moreover, the impact of other determinant factors, such as signal reflection and atmospheric refraction, on the radar coverage were assessed in this work. Real positioning measurement data and coverage simulations were used to support and exemplify theoretical findings.

This paper presents the implementation, evaluation and validation of a radio system solution able to direct the main radiated lobe towards a target user (beamforming). The comprehensive hardware architecture integrates: (1) the transmitting sub-system, (2) the antenna array sub-system, (3) the synchronization sub-system, (4) the receiving sub-system, and (5) the data processing unit sub-system. Two beamforming algorithms are implemented: Minimum Variance Distorsionless Response and Phase Shift beamformer. The radiant system beamforming capacity is evaluated in terms of maximum pointing deviation of the main lobe relative to the direction where the target user is positioned, First Null Beam Width, and antenna gain.

Due to the known issue that the ranging in the 802.15.4™-2015 standard is prone to external attacks, the enhanced impulse radio (EiR), a new amendment still under development, advances the secure ranging protocol by encryption of physical layer (PHY) timestamp sequence using the AES-128 encryption algorithm. This new amendment brings many changes and enhancements which affect the impulse-radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) ranging procedures. The timestamp detection is the base factor in the accuracy of range estimation and inherently in the localization precision. This paper analyses the key parts of PHY which have a great contribution in timestamp estimation precision, particularly: UWB pulse, channel sounding and timestamp estimation using ciphered sequence and frequency selective fading. Unlike EiR, where the UWB pulse is defined in the time domain, in this article, the UWB pulse is synthesized from the power spectral density mask, and it is shown that the use of the entire allocated spectrum results in a decrease in risetime, an increase in pulse amplitude, and an attenuation of lateral lobes. The paper proposes a random spreading of the scrambled timestamp sequence (STS), resulting in an improvement in timestamp estimation by the attenuation lateral lobes of the correlation. The timestamp estimation in the noisy channels with non-line-of-sight and multipath propagation is achieved by cross-correlation of the received STS with the locally generated replica of STS. The propagation in the UWB channel with frequency selective fading results in small errors in the timestamp detection.