Rain Drop Measurement System

To address the need of the Air Force in measurement of individual drop characteristics in outdoors simulated rain environment, Tech Valley Sensor, Inc. proposes development of the Coded-Aperture Rain Drop Imaging Measurement System (CARDIMS). The proposed technology will measure and output individual raindrop characteristics including diameter, velocity and shape properties, rain drop size distribution, liquid water content, and volumetric rain rate. The CARDIMS system will produce unbiased measurements across a broad range of drop diameters in excess of 0.05 – 6.0 mm, with a resolution of 0.05 mm or better and error rate of no greater than 10 percent. The proposed effort will develop the CARDIMS raindrop measurement through Phase I coded-aperture hardware prototyping and image-processing software implementation. Laboratory demonstration and experimental tests of key technology components will conclude the Phase I effort, to establish feasibility of the proposed concept. A preproduction Phase II prototype will demonstrate a functional raindrop measurement system. Military applications of the CATIGS technology will be in raindrop measurement in high speed testing of missile and aircraft components. Civilian commercial applications will be in instrumentation for environmental research of atmospheric science and ocean studies, and speed tests of automotive industry.