Sensor Fusion and Display for Degraded Visual Environment (DVE)

The Fused Sensor Image Display System (FSIDS) is being designed to guide landing of CH-53 helicopters during brownout conditions. FSIDS employs multiple sensors concurrently to create a high resolution synthetic scene of the landing area and potential obstacles The general approach is to use, in an articulated fashion, multiple sensor inputs, e.g., FLIR, millimeter wave RADAR, LIDAR, to verify or change a synthetic vision system (SVS) terrain database of the landing area. A key innovative feature of our work will be the development of algorithms to detect when the sensor data begin to degrade due to suspended particulates. Input from each sensor will be automatically rejected once its output becomes invalid, using algorithms based on the real time evaluation of image content. Different sensors will have different rejection points so the maximum information about the landing area will be gained when the last sensor is no longer contributing to the data base. The last acquired high-quality imagery from the sensor, appropriately registered to the terrain, will persist and provide content past the point of no performance for the particular sensor. A second innovative feature will be the definition, detection and pictorial depiction of obstacles in a highly detailed fashion commensurate with the quality of the combined sensor data. The SVS will present ground truth imagery to the pilot during the final seconds of brownout landing when sensors are ineffective. Our approach to the display of terrain and obstacle information is to begin with realistic synthetic rendering of the landing area that may be augmented by adding or enhancing visual features of the scene and the inclusion of alphanumeric information, if necessary.