Miniaturized Infrared Imaging Camera for Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle

Uncooled focal plane array (FPA) technology, based on a-Si:H micro-bolometer thermal detectors, has evolved such that high performance can be achieved with small pixel pitch, large array format and fast thermal time constant. This improved FPA sensor technology allows development of miniaturized infrared video cameras with high sensitivity and spatial resolution to support a wide range of missions. Small pixel pitch allows instantaneous field of view less than 1.0 millirad with short focal lengths and commensurate reduction in the size and weight of the optics suitable for micro-uninhabited aerial vehicles. The predicted noise equivalent temperature difference with F/1.0 optics is less than 30 mK in the LWIR. Advanced CMOS processes for readout integrated circuitry (ROIC), on-ROIC analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and ultra low power CMOS digital signal processing (DSP) and FPGAs allows reduction in camera power to less than 1.5 watts. FPGA conversion to application specific integrated circuitry (ASIC) provides further opportunity for power reduction. In Phase II, Black Forest Engineering will develop a prototype camera system and demonstrate performance from a small airborne platform.