Small infrared (IR) camera packages are now possible as a result of uncooled sensor performance improvements (sensitivity and time constant) in small pixel pitch (12 µm). Leveraging prior investment in miniaturized uncooled infrared camera cores, and digital readout circuit and electronics design, there is an opportunity to demonstrate a digital output nano-IR camera core with direct application to nano-unmanned air vehicles (NUAVs) and other very compact soldier-borne situational-awareness sensor applications. Black Forest Engineering has developed a 10-gram LWIR camera with a 5 gram core on prior SBIR efforts using a 17 µm pixel pitch uncooled 640x480 format FPA and custom ASIC camera electronics for micro-UAV applications. This new Phase II effort will demonstrate a manufacturable nano-IR camera for nano-UAVs. The design will support camera core weight < 2 grams, and a packaged camera weight (including lens and output electronics) < 5 grams using WFOV (~ 90°) optics. The camera will support rapid turn-on and in-flight non-uniformity correction. A validated sensor package design will detail sensor components and performance modeling (including size, weight and power) to assess risk and maturity of the prototype design.
