Laser Attritable Surveillance Enhancement (LASE)

Exciting Technology will develop an attritable, low C-SWaP, long range, 3D lidar aligned with AF Operational Imperatives 3 and 4 for medium altitude UAS applications for AFLCMC/WIN and PACAF. The proposed lidar will include both a long-range laser range finder (LRF) and 3D imaging for target ID.  As a comparable and available ISR system, the MX-15 costs ~$1M per copy, has a mid IR camera capable of identifying a target at about 10 km, and can measure range out to ~20 km.  LASE will cost <$200K, will provide 3D images for IDing at ranges >10Km,  and provide range measurement distance to >45 Km, depending on the platform altitude, while remaining in similar C-SWaP.   This is enabled by unique, patent pending, IP developed by Exciting Technology in the optical beam steering field, where we have 21 pending patents, with 4 already granted.  The proposed lidar includes our hybrid beam steering technology to provide both wide angle and fast small angle steering. Gimbals are large compared to the clear aperture diameter.  That adds size and weight. We can provide a larger aperture than a gimbal in the same weight and space because of our patent pending beam steering technology. A larger aperture provides better cross-range resolution, which is dependent on aperture diameter and wavelength. This, along with a shorter wavelength, will provide greatly improved cross range resolution compared to MWIR sensors, and lidars can also provide range resolution for 3D imaging. Other platforms that would benefit from the proposed lidar include the Ultra platform, high altitude balloons, or autonomous wingman. Dr McManamon chaired the US National Academy of Sciences study on lidar and has written two books on the subject. The most recent book won the prestigious Goodman award jointly awarded by Optica and SPIE.  Exciting Technology is involved in the auto lidar field, and plans to sell beam steering technology into this market. Dr McManamon chairs a national committee to collect data on auto lidar performance, with a goal of developing standard, accepted measurements technique for auto lidar. If auto lidar manufacturing techniques can be applied to DOD lidar it will contribute to affordable, attritable lidars, that can support a conversion to mosaic warfare – where the US can fight and win against a near peer by having many attritable sensors/platforms.   The combination of patent pending optical beam steering technology, and adopting auto lidar manufacturing techniques, can provide the revolutionary change to enable long range ID, and ranging, using 3D Lidars on attritable platforms.