Real-time Spectral Band Optimization for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Hyperspectral Camera

This effort develops a design for an integrated near real-time solution capable of determining optimal multi-spectral bands for target detection, storing complete mission data, and parsing resultant data and metadata for transmission of hyperspectral imaging results. This design, referred to as the “Optimized Hyperspectral Camera System” (OHCS), will leverage DSPCon’s new BFX architecture minimizing Size, Weight, and Power (SWAP), with Sarnoff’s world-class, innovative spectral analysis algorithms that can distinguish targets from clutter, even with minimal a priori target information and no a priori clutter information. OHCS will provide an unprecedented combination of performance and minimal SWAP to accommodate demanding Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) constraints. The design resulting from this SBIR will have a combination of performance + "Size, Weight, and Power" (SWAP) which is unachievable using any other standard available in the world today. DSPCon will create the OHCS hardware design with a company-developed architecture standard, called BFX, that is geared toward rapidly implementing systems involving any combination of data acquisition, processing and archiving functions in small form factor, light weight packages. The standard is based on high performance, modular (plug and play), small footprint, rugged, air-cooled or conduction-cooled, function-specific boards that communicate over a high speed serial I/O fabric. This approach enables the design to meet the needs of environments where minimizing SWAP is critical, as is allowing easy upgrades and expansion of system capacity with a plug-and-play structure.