Portable Air Data LIDAR

To address the Air Force need for a deployable lightweight upper air sensing system, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) is developing a new Portable Air Data LIDAR (PADL). It is based on a compact and modular LIDAR design consisting of a tri-wavelength LIDAR module with data dissemination and secure access. The novel system design will enable the ground-based weather sensor system to measure critical weather parameters in a portable package and is employable at any remote location due to its lightweight portability and low power requirements. As a result, this technology offers a reliable means to seed military weather forecasting models with more reliable local data from global locations and to provide actionable data from which to improve tactical decisions in the field. In Phase I, POC demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed technology through system parameter analysis and component selection, optical transceiver designs for the LIDAR systems, electronic design, data processing method development, and a mechanical design for the first PADL prototype. In addition, a benchtop wind LIDAR was assembled and laboratory experiments were conducted to demonstrate the wind measurement concept. In Phase II, POC will build and optimize the PADL prototype, conduct a field test, and validate its performance.