Autonomous Compound-Eye Sensor for Hostile Threats System

To address the Navy’s need for an autonomous onboard processing sensor system for detecting and geolocating hostile fire on Group 1 unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and self-guiding target munitions, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (Intellisense) proposes to develop a new Autonomous Compound-Eye Sensor for Hostile Threats (ACESHOT) system based on a chip-scale, non-imaging array of two-color optical sensors with metalenses in midwave infrared (MWIR). The innovation in a multi-band, multi-aperture EO/IR sensor array with integrated processing enables accurate threat detection, tracking, and classification. The novel use of MWIR metalenses with multi-band photodetector chips and miniature electronics significantly reduces size, weight, and power (SWaP). Thus, ACESHOT will be a fast, accurate, stationary, hemispherical FOV sensor suite for improved survivability of UAVs and self-guiding munitions. In Phase I, Intellisense will investigate and identify materials, packaging, design methodologies and critical design parameters for the ACESHOT, and complete rigorous modeling and simulation for performance estimation. The evaluation will include the probability of detection versus range, angular resolution and error of geolocation, response time, false alarm rate, threat classification, and multi-aperture tracking response. We will develop the algorithmic approaches for threat detection, tracking and classification, and build a proof-of-concept breadboard prototype, using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)_components, to prove the feasibility of any high-risk, key design elements. We will also demonstrate the extensibility and roadmap for small battery-operated UAVs and self-guiding target munitions systems, and prepare detailed prototype development plans for Phase II. In Phase II, the ACESHOT system will be refined based on the Phase I results to improve its performance. Intellisense will fabricate a prototype chip-scale multifunction MWIR metasurface optics hostile fire sensor system and test it by installation on the desired platforms. The ACESHOT prototype will then be evaluated through live fire testing at a close-to-moderate distance (50 m–1000 m) to determine probability of detection, angular resolution and error, response time, and false alarm rate. False alarm mitigation techniques will be developed and tested in a laboratory or field situation. By the end of Phase II, Intellisense will demonstrate a working ACESHOT prototype with TRL 4/5, develop a Phase III plan for further development and testing, and deliver it to the Navy for further evaluation.