Title :
Low-cost, dual-mode enhanced vision sensor prototype
Author :
Rand, Timothy W. ; Ferrante, Ronald A. ; Suiter, James M.
Author_Institution :
Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, IA
fDate :
7/1/2006 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
As a member of the Southeast SATSLab Consortium and participant in the NASA Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) program, the Rockwell Collins Advanced Technology Center has developed a flyable prototype of a low-cost, dual-mode enhanced vision sensor (EVS). The prototype has been successfully flown on Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University´s experimental Cessna 310 light twin aircraft. The dual-mode system incorporates an uncooled long wave infrared sensor and a low-light level visible light imager using a common aperture. The system includes a dichroic beamsplitter that provides the same coaxial field of view to both sensors. This paper describes the design, fabrication, sensor performance, and flight test results of the enhanced vision sensor prototype
Keywords :
aircraft instrumentation; image sensors; infrared imaging; optical beam splitters; Cessna 310 aircraft; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Rockwell Collins Advanced Technology Center; dichroic beamsplitter; dual-mode vision sensor; enhanced vision sensor prototype; flyable prototype; infrared sensor; visible light imager; Air transportation; Aircraft; Apertures; Coaxial components; Infrared sensors; NASA; Prototypes; Sensor phenomena and characterization; Sensor systems; Space technology;
Journal_Title :
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/MAES.2006.1684280
