LADAR Sensor & Vehicle Alignment System (LSVAS)

SPEC proposes an innovative, eyesafe LADAR Sensor & Vehicle Alignment System (LSVAS) concept, based on missile LADAR technology, which fully meets cargo alignment requirements during loading/ unloading operations and for safety in sensing personnel inblind areas.For cargo alignment/loading/unloading, thumb-sized LSVAS sensors precisely locate the transport structure for the guidance system (with no on-the-ground spotter) which interacts with the operator to quickly and safely align and insert payloads to within 1mm without the fear of binding on long palletized loads, even when the operator cannot physically view these areas.LSVAS will be easy to maintain, to learn, operate and interface to by a single operator. It will also be able to operate in varying lighting and adverse weather conditions while performing loading/unloading operations on any container/palletized cargoplatform configurations. LSVAS can also provide a wide area protection LADAR safety grid for loading vehicle collision protection, detecting and locating personnel and ground equipment in the immediate area of operation.FCS combat mobility and sustainability is improved, along with operational responsiveness, by the quick and efficient transport of supplies that are vital to the successful implementation of FCS doctrine of agile, rapid force projection deployment. The ability to accurately sense range is key to providing precise feedback to assist in payload alignment and sensing personnel in blind areas. This would drastically reduce current cargo movement timelines thus improving aircraft turnaround time,greatly decrease or eliminate damage to vehicles, payloads and transport platforms during loading/unloading operations, along with increased safety during low light and adverse weather conditions and by eliminating driver blind spots where personnel orother objects may go unnoticed. Overall cargo related operating and support costs will be reduced by improved cargo handling times and increased safety by greatly reducing or eliminating damaged cargo and/or transport platform mishaps.These same devices can be used in other areas, such as backup collision indicators on personal and commercial vehicles, and for triggering front and side airbags on vehicles, to lower the inflation rates so as not to cause injury to small passengers. Theairbag triggers would make use of the precise range, deriving range rate from range vs. time, and the amplitude, thresholding the size of object needed to cause a trigger.