SBIR-STTR Award

There exists a need for a long range stand-off surveillance camera system. This camera will be helicopter mounted and operated outside the threat umbrella at distances of approximately 60,000 feet. Presumably the vehicle altitude will be fairly low resulting in significant image degradation due to the intervening atmosphere. Another major complication will be the mechanical vibration and acoustical noise from the helicopter rotor. This proposal will attempt to determine a technically feasible combination of optics, sensors, stabilization loops, and displays which will yield a cost effective, miniature surveillance sensor which will generate images in real time useful in target identification. The effects of atmosphere and vibration on the modulation transfer function and the sensor will be modeled in computer software. Tricor's optical encounter (OPEC) detection model, and its retinal image modulation (rimm) will be used to generate artificial target data and then modify this information to simulate the image collected by the sensor. Motion blur can also be added to this analysis. This software modeling will allow evaluation of comparisons between different types of sensors and different degrees of motion compensation. The study will conclude with description of hardware for stabilization and display.

A need exists for a long focal length, small, low cost sensor that can be operated beyond threat or visual detection range. A Phase I SBIR effort was conducted to determine the feasibility of a sensor capable of operating from a helicopter or unmanned vehicle. The study concluded that such a system was feasible based on vendor supplied data. The program described in the proposal offers a cautious approach to the development of the system. A three phase effort is proposed that provides check points along the development path. The first phase addresses the high technical risk critical components. The second phase provides detailed design alternatives that weigh size, weight and cost against performance. The final phase fabricates a flyable system and tests the system through flight test. Key to the success of the program is a unique low cost three level stabilization system which will be evaluated in the first phase of the effort.