A MINIATURE EXPENDABLE ZOOM LENS ASSEMBLY FOR A REMOTELY PILOTED VEHICLE STUDY

PHASE I STUDY OF THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A ZOOM LENS AS DESCRIBED IN SBIR TOPIC N86-154 IS PROPOSED. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO INVESTIGATE ALTERNATIVE CONFIGURATIONS TO FIND THE ONE MOST EFFECTIVE IN MINIMIZING PRODUCTION COST, SIZE, AND WEIGHT WHILE OFFERING APPROPRIATE OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE, REMOTELY ADJUSTABLE FOCAL LENGTH OF 12 TO 30 MM, APERATURE OF F/4, AND FIELDS COMMENSURATE WITH IMAGING ON COMMERCIALLY AVAILABBLE 8.8 MM SQUARE CCD DETECTOR ARRAYS OF 60 MM BARREL LENGTH WILL BE TAKEN AS TYPICAL SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT TO REFINEMENT DURING DISCUSSIONS WITH COGNIZANT NAVY PERSONNEL FOLLOWING CONTRACT AWARD. CONFIGURATIONS TO BE STUDIED WILL BE CHOSEN FROM THE WIDE EXPERIENCE OF THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR IN THE DESIGN, PRODUCTION, AND QUALITY CONTROL OF COMMERCIAL IN THE DESIGN, PRODUCTION, AND QUALITY CONTROL OF COMMERCIAL CINEMATOGRAPHIC ZOOM LENSES AND OF SPECIALIZED OPTICS FOR MILITARY APPLICATIONS. KEY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE ABERRATION BALANCE.