Low Cost Electro-Optic Sensors for Mini/Micro UAV's

There is a requirement for compact low-cost active sensors for aided target identification in UAV operations. The mid-infrared (3-5 µm) is currently an unexploited spectral region because of the lack of frequency agile sources with narrow linewidths and high bandwidth detectors, which would be necessary in high spatial resolution laser radars. This effort will explore novel frequency agile laser technologies and architectures that will provide frequency agility with <1 cm-1 linewidths and pulsed imaging technologies; which, when combined, will provide high 3&#64979;D spatial imaging, capable of resolving targets beneath vegetative canopies utilizing geometrical and chemical target queuing. These novel optical architectures will be compact and energy efficient, allowing implementation and utilization of 3-D mid-infrared imaging sensors on a new generation of mini UAVs. The Phase I effort will focus on integrated optical devices with an interactive differential spectral analysis processor, which will minimize the required laser lines for target identification. Also, novel imaging detector optical configuration will be explored to allow high spatial (<2 ft.) pulsed images to be performed in the 3.2-4.8 µm region. Special consideration will also be given to differential reflectance polarization in this region.