Development of an Electro-Optic/Infrared Multi-Spectral Imager for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Multiple agencies within the DOD have identified the need for reliable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) techniques capable of monitoring a wide variety of high interest situations and targets. Multi-Spectral Imagers (MSIs), one type of optical system which addresses this need, function by splitting visible wavelength light into different spectral bands which are imaged on separate sensors. These different spectral ‘channels’ are then compared for anomalies. In this SBIR Phase II.5 program, RL Associates, Inc. proposes to design, build, and test a MSI prototype for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) using the volume holographic beamsplitting technology developed under their previous SBIR work. The unit will include 4-5 electro-optic (EO) channels which will share an aperture, as well as a mid-wave infrared (MWIR) channel, and will be designed to the form factor and payload restrictions of a common UAS turret.