Stable Radar in Rolling Seas: A High-Tech Leap to Detect Airborne Targets

Generating precise radar images is tough enough on solid ground. Now imagine the challenge of innovating a system that maintains precise radar antenna orientation and control on a wildly pitching, rolling platform in the middle of the ocean. And it must also operate autonomously and reliably for months at a time.

This is the challenge faced by a pair of staff at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), mechanical engineer Chris Rumple and electrical engineer Alex Turpin.

“Designing something to go into orbit is easier than building for the ocean,” said Rumple. “This technology was born out of the need to provide the type of data that decision makers need to site energy projects in the ocean.”

After two years of development, the pair devised a system that allows radar antennae to maintain stable orientation while mounted on platforms in open water that pitch and roll unpredictably. Their innovation enables accurate detection of airborne targets, including birds, bats, and drones—even in highly dynamic environments.

In May 2025, the researchers filed a U.S. patent application for their invention: the Motion Control Apparatus and System for Non-Stationary Radar Systems.

Now, Rumple and Turpin will take the next step toward practical application. The pair was recently selected to join the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy I-Corps program, an initiative aimed at helping researchers translate promising technologies into market-ready solutions.

A path toward real-world use

Developing leading-edge technology is one challenge, but finding real-world market applications is another.

While initially developed to support environmental monitoring at wind energy sites, the system’s potential applications extend to national defense, atmospheric research, oceanographic monitoring, and offshore oil and gas—anywhere precise radar must operate from a moving surface.

DOE’s Energy I-Corps program is a two-month intensive training sponsored by DOE’s Office of Technology Commercialization. It pairs national laboratory researchers with industry mentors to define value propositions, develop pathways to commercialization, and even identify potential customers.

For Rumple and Turpin, this is an opportunity to move beyond their PNNL-Sequim laboratory and determine where their technology could have the most significant impact.

“One way to give science a larger impact is through commercialization,” said Rumple. “We think this technology can go much further than our original scope. The Energy I-Corps program will help us make this technology more multipurpose and long-lived than just this project. It will help us amplify the technology’s impact, which can be greater than what we could have imagined.”

Mentors will play a pivotal role in navigating the complexities of bringing a niche radar technology to market. The engineers at PNNL will be paired with seasoned advisers Timothy Acker and John Lavrakas, who will help them broaden their vision beyond a single application.

Aker, president and chief executive officer of Seattle-based BioSonics, Inc., brings deep experience in marine acoustics and government-funded product development. Meanwhile, Lavrakas, a retired entrepreneur with decades of experience in marine global positioning satellite and fisheries tracking, will offer insights on branding, adaptability, and long-term viability.

The mentorship is designed to help the team understand how to position their technology for use in a range of industries, ensuring the innovation can evolve well beyond its original scope.

“You have to be able to market yourself to a wide array of commercialization opportunities,” said Turpin. “You need perspectives that build adaptability to different market conditions.”

Upon completing the Energy I-Corps program, researchers return to the laboratory with a framework for industry engagement to guide future research and advance a culture of “market awareness” within the laboratory.

The technology: how the system works

The technology is designed to drive radar systems with parabolic antennae to detect and track airborne targets in challenging, constantly shifting environments. To do this effectively, the radar must know precisely where its antenna is and how it's positioned—even if the platform it sits on, like a buoy, is rocked by wind, waves, and currents. It must also be durable enough to survive baking sun, corrosive salt water, and more.

“Essentially, we’ve designed a complex system—mechanics and electronics—to survive in the worst ocean conditions imaginable,” said Rumple.

The innovation combines two functions: It keeps the radar antenna aimed precisely at a point in the sky and stabilizes it against external motion. At the heart of this system is a compact mechanical assembly that uses a slider-crank arm and a precision bearing. This allows the antenna to rotate freely while keeping its internal components—such as the waveguide (a module that directs the flow of electromagnetic waves from one point to another)—connected and functional throughout the full range of motion.

“Other (available) systems are cabled, so they're limited on how many times they can spin. Ours was made to spin continuously,” explained Turpin, noting that another key advantage is its compatibility with widely used commercial radar components, including standard magnetrons. “This allows for the upgrade of existing radar systems without the need for complete redesigns.”

The system, paired with durable industrial actuators, compensates for real-time motion, allowing for accurate radar scanning from unstable platforms.

Navigating the next waves

As Rumple and Turpin pitch and roll through the complex waters of commercialization, their ultimate goal remains clear: to amplify the impact of their innovation.

“The journey of technology development doesn't end here; it's just beginning,” concluded Rumple.