Mobile Target Tracking

During this Phase I effort, Polaris Sensor Technologies (Polaris) will design a target tracking method that can enable an FAA Group 2 UAV to autonomously track ground targets based on operator selection from sensor data. The design will incorporate established and available technologies, including PolarisÆ day/night polarimetric imaging sensor. The method will include use-cases for tracking ground targets from a distance appropriate for an ISR platform or for a loitering munition and will be capable of provided guidance data for both use cases. The ground targets may be moving at speeds up to 80km/h. For the ISR aircraft and loitering munition, Polaris proposes to employ polarimetric, multi-waveband EO/IR cameras that have been demonstrated to dramatically increase True Positive Detection Rate (PDet) and decrease False Positive Detection Rate (PFA) while providing data for robust tracking of ground targets in clutter. Polarization allows the system to perform signature-based detections in addition to standard key-point detection. Signature-based detections require far fewer pixels on target, so a polarimeter can detect and maintain track of a target much further than a standard EO/IR imager of similar SWaP. Polaris has experience working with inertial, celestial, optical odometry, and vision-based landmark navigation for GPS denied / degraded environments and will leverage past research to determine viable options for this effort. In order to meet the overarching goal of the Air Force as framed by this topic and the Direct to Phase II topic for an air launched, autonomous strike system, the efforts on this Phase I will be coordinated with the LM platform and ultimately the ISR platform as well. We will pursue and engage the Direct to Phase II (D2P2) awardee to ensure that the polarimetric IR payload is compatible and MOSA compliant by the end of this Phase II. If collaboration with the D2P2 awardee is not possible, we will adapt our ongoing collaborations. If awarded, the Phase II effort will develop and test the method designed in this Phase I. The test program shall culminate in a demonstration, on a government test range, striking a moving target using only guidance provided by the system under development with a surrogate loitering munition platform.