Real Time On Board Video for Gun Launched Munitions

The army is seeking a new and novel generation of precision munitions that do not rely solely on GPS for targeting and guidance. The weapons systems proposed herein will utilize GPS, however, they will also be capable of operating in GPS denied environments. These munitions will function using both visual feedback derived from real time telemetry, manual selection of target using touch screen technology, and novel algorithms designed to use the real time telemetry and other sensor input (i.e. IR sensors) to identify and lock onto a given target. The systems developed will be lightweight, inexpensive, and easily transportable by the contemporary warfighter. Launching the munitions will be accomplished using either a mortar or a rifle, such as M16A1 equipped with a specially designed launcher (M203). Small accurate munitions that can be launched by a lone warfighter will give the army significant tactical advantage, the ability to remain stealth, and capable of inflicting damage in any arena. The development of these technologies has many potential commercial applications, especially in the burgeoning UAV markets. These novel video systems will eventually be incorporated with other SBIR work to utilize conformal lithium ion battery technologies and miniaturized conformal electronics packages.