Motion Compensation of a Mast-Mounted Interferometric Radar Using GNSS-Synchronized Inertial Sensors

Interferometric radar systems enable high-resolution displacement measurements for structural health monitoring. However, when mounted on flexible supports such as telecommunication masts, radar motion can significantly degrade measurement accuracy. This paper presents a mast motion compensation method based on inertial sensors integrated with the radar system. A triaxial seismic accelerometer and a gyroscope are used to estimate the displacement and rotation of the radar support, while a GNSS-based Pulse-Per-Second (PPS) signal ensures precise synchronization. The estimated motion is projected along the radar line of sight and used to compensate interferometric measurements. The method was experimentally validated using an X-band FMCW radar and a corner reflector mounted on an oscillating support. Results show a mast motion reduction of up to 25 dB, enabling clear separation between mast motion and target vibration.