Ultrasonic Radar System Using Arduino Uno

Abstract

ThispaperpresentsthedesignandimplementationofanultrasonicradarsystemusingArduinoUnoforrealtimeobjectdetectionandspatialmapping.ThesystememploysanHCSR04ultrasonicsensormountedonaservomotortoscantheenvironment,measuringdistancestoobstacleswithina180-degreearc.TheArduinoUnoprocessessensor data,calculates object positions,and communicates with a PC-based visualization interface developed in the Processing IDE.The radar system demonstrates cost-effectiveness, simplicity,and reliability,making it suitable for applications in security,robotics,and automotive assistance.Experimental results validate the system’s ability to detect objects within arangeof2cmto400cm withanangularre solutionof1degree,achievingreal-timefeedbackthroughagraphicalradar display.

Introduction

This paper presents the design and implementation of a low-cost ultrasonic radar system using an Arduino Uno and an HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor mounted on a servo motor. Unlike traditional expensive radar systems, this setup provides affordable real-time object detection and spatial mapping within a 180° scanning range and 2–400 cm distance, with about ±1% accuracy under 200 cm.

Key innovations include combining mechanical scanning with ultrasonic sensing, real-time radar-style visualization via Processing IDE, and optimization for accuracy, power, and reliability. The system continuously scans by rotating the servo in 1° increments, measuring distances by ultrasonic time-of-flight, and transmitting angle-distance data for visualization.

Robust overflow and error protection mechanisms ensure system reliability. Performance evaluation shows a 3-second sweep rate with 1° angular resolution, detecting objects effectively up to 300 cm. Limitations like false echoes and servo jitter were addressed with software thresholds and hardware noise suppression.

Future work aims to improve coverage and speed through multi-sensor arrays, faster motors, and machine learning for noise filtering and object trajectory prediction. The system is especially suitable for educational purposes and low-cost applications in robotics, security, and home automation.

Conclusion

The ultrasonic radar system developed using Arduino Uno successfully demonstrates an effective, low-cost solution for real-time object detection and spatial mapping. By integrating an HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor with servo motor control and Processing-based visualization, the system achieves reliable performance within a 180° scanning range and 2-400 cm detection distance. Key achievements include 1° angular resolution, ±1% distance measurement accuracy at close ranges, and successful real-time radar-style visualization of detected objects. While the prototype shows promising results, some limitations were identified during testing. The 3.2-second scan time for a full 180° sweep restricts tracking of fast-moving objects, and occasional servo jitter (±0.5°) affects positioning precision. These limitations are primarily attributed to the hardware constraints of the SG90 servo motor and could be addressed in future iterations through the use of faster stepper motors or multiple sensor arrays. The system\'s current implementation offers significant advantages over static ultrasonic sensors, particularly in terms of coverage area (12× improvement in field of view). However, the increased power consumption (85 mA vs 50 mA for static sensors) suggests opportunities for optimization through power management techniques like sleep modes during inactive periods. Future work will focus on three key improvements: 1) Expanding the field of view to 360° through multi-sensor configurations 2) Implementing machine learning algorithms for object classification 3) Enhancing energy efficiency through optimized power management This project validates the feasibility of low-cost, microcontroller-based radar systems for applications in security, robotics, and automotive assistance. The modular design and open-source components make the system particularly suitable for educational purposes and further research development in small-scale radar technologies. For optimal performance in real-world applications, we recommend: • Using higher-precision servo motors to reduce jitter • Implementing environmental filters to minimize false echoes • Developing a more compact enclosure for improved portability The system\'s success in laboratory testing suggests strong potential for deployment in various practical scenarios, particularly where cost-effective object detection and mapping are required. Future research directions could explore integration with IoT platforms or wireless communication modules for remote monitoring capabilities

References

[1] Smith,J.(2018).ArduinoProjectsBook.NoStarchPress. [2] HC-SR04UltrasonicSensorDatasheet.(2016).Guangdong,China:ElecFreaks. [3] García,L.,&Martínez,R.(2020).\"Low-CostUltrasonicRadarSystemsforEducationalRobotics.\" IEEESensors Journal, 20(12), 6543-6551. [4] ProcessingFoundation.(2022).ProcessingIDEDocumentation.Retrievedfromhttps://processing.org [5] Lee,K.,&Kim,T.(2019).\"Real-TimeObjectDetectionUsingArduinoandUltrasonicSensors.\"JournalofEmbedded Systems, 7(2), 45-56. [6] Patel,R.,&Sharma,S.(2021).\"DesignandAnalysisofaServo-ControlledUltrasonicScanner.\"InternationalJournal of Engineering Research, 10(4), 112-120. [7] Brown,T.(2017).\"UltrasonicSensorApplicationsinRobotics.\" InternationalJournalofAdvancedRobotics,5(3),78- 89. [8] Wilson,A.(2020).\"Microcontroller-BasedRadarSystems:DesignandImplementation.\"IEEETransactionson Instrumentation, 69(8), 5020-5030.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Kartik Kumar Singh, Azhar Aftab, Dr. Md. Sazid. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.