Merging Sensor and Stored Terrain Database Data for Rotorcraft Poor Visibility Weather Operations

A joint venture team consisting of three small businesses, Monterey Technologies, Inc. (MTI), Nav3D, and AIREYES, will perform this work. The ultimate goal of the team is to produce a functional, Integrated Multi-sensor Synthetic Imagery System (IMSIS) that merges information from radar, IR, and other sensors and a terrain data base to produce a synthetic image of the scene on a panel-mounted display. The inclusion of real-time radar and other sensor information in the IMSIS display compensates for the inability of a Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) to display detailed, current obstacle information relevant to Army helicopter operations, e.g., trees and wires, recent battle debris. The Phase I work will produce one or more animated displays illustrating the IMSIS display design to demonstrate the capability to present, and the effectiveness of, imagery from merged sensor and terrain database information. The design goal is a rotorcraft display to allow the pilot to easily interpret and avoid flight path obstacles while maintaining overall awareness of the aircraft and the environment in currently unflyable visibility conditions. Avoiding SVS perceptual capture is another design goal. The team has already produced displays that combine fuse sensor information and synthetic terrain imagery for fixed wing operations.