Light Weight Coastal Topographic/ Bathymetric Charting System for Naval Unmanned Airborne Vehicles

Advances in laser, receiver, processing, and navigation technologies enable development of a compact, lightweight lidar system that is compatible with small UAVs. By leveraging the best of these technologies, Arete Associates has designed a Pushbroom Imaging Lidar for Littoral Surveillance (PILLS) that provides precision hydrographic and terrain mapping at tactically useful coverage rates, suitable for a variety of unmanned platforms. PILLS has no moving parts, completely eliminating the weight, size, power, and reliability issues associated with scanning lidar systems and cooled lasers. The system leverages proven technologies developed and demonstrated for airborne mine countermeasures and airborne laser designators. The system also integrates a dedicated real-time kinematic GPS for precise mapping, independent of aircraft systems. PILLS is an order of magnitude smaller, lighter, and requires a fraction of the power of current lidar systems on manned aircraft, while delivering comparable mapping performance from a small UAV.