Variable Remapping of Airborne Imagery

Cooperative targeting technologies enable F18 strike aircraft and tactical UASs (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) to work together to provide close air support, particularly in close-quarters urban combat. VRAI (“Variable Remapping of Airborne Imagery”) ties together these assets more effectively, speeding-up the visual cueing and confirmation bottleneck, insuring 1st-pass success. VRAI digitally converts (remaps) UAS spotter imagery of what would otherwise be a widely differing view of the target into what it should look like within the F18 pilot’s ATFLIR. VRAI is custom software on a portable COTS PC, to be plugged-into a UAS ground control station. No modifications of F18 avionics are expected. Our Phase 1 effort demonstrated fast algorithms, offering real-time execution feasibility, against high-fidelity simulated imagery, performing view extrapolation to widely differing aspects, while contending with typically few pixels-on-target and limited range of viewpoints. Phase 2 efforts will build out the full VRAI processing chain. We will test and verify performance against realistic bistatic visible and IR field video, which we will collect. To insure Phase 3 transition, we will organize and engage a User Working Group, garnering feedback from testing with interactive VRAI demonstrations. The delivered VRAI Transit Case Processor prototype will be ready for Phase 3 T&E.