Enhanced Riverine and Coastal Sensors for Patrol Craft

Advanced Scientific Concepts, Inc. has developed a camera that takes a 3D image of an entire scene with a single flash of laser light. This Flash LADAR is capable of acquiring 30 three-dimensional images per second at a distance of several kilometers permitting true 3D movies to be made. Our technology does not scan a scene pixel by pixel or line by line, but rather captures a whole scene with one laser flash. We propose to adapt this camera to the task of augmenting the situational awareness of the riverine battlespace by imaging through the forest lining the riverbanks. The Defense Advance Projects Research Agency (DARPA) has recently demonstrated (Jigsaw Program) a similar airborne 3D LADAR that images through the forest canopy to reveal concealed assets on the forest floor. The three-dimensional nature of this camera permits it to piece together many glimpses of the floor taken through many small holes in the canopy into a useful image of the ground. Successful field tests of this system have been recently conducted aboard a helicopter that confirm its ability to reveal hidden objects. Our 3D Flash Ladar has a similar capability and is better suited to the riverine battlespace than the DARPA camera. We propose to adapt our 3D Flash Ladar to image assets hidden near the river. Our device might also be used aboard an unmanned aircraft to reveal assets far from the river.