Hand-held imaging laser radar

Douglas W. Ricks; H. Wayne Willhite

doi:10.1117/12.281033

6 August 1997 Hand-held imaging laser radar

Douglas W. Ricks, H. Wayne Willhite

Proceedings Volume 3065, Laser Radar Technology and Applications II; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.281033
Event: AeroSense '97, 1997, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

We investigated laser radar technology for tactical intelligence; that is, we wanted to build a camcorder-sized device for information on terrain, and for reconnaissance and surveillance of various targets. Our performance requirements were; field of view 15 mrad by 150 mrad, image resolution 0.15 mrad, range 1 km, range depth resolution 15 cm, and acquisition time one third of a second. We designed imaging devices using two of the most promising technologies that we found. The first imager uses a digital CCD camera with a modulated image intensifier. The laser is a Q- switched, flashlamp-pumped, Nd:YAG laser. THere is no scanner in this system. The range is obtained by a technology similar to classical continuous phase detection. The second imager uses a diode-pumped solid state laser, and fiber optics to relay the image to thirty-two avalanche photo-diodes. The laser beam is split into thirty-two beams and a binary optics scanner is used for scanning between beams. The range is obtained with time-of-flight electronics. BOth imaging system designs meet the basic requirements, and could also be used in automatic target recognition, aimpoint selection, target tracking, obstacle avoidance, and other imaging laser radar applications.

Citation Download Citation

Douglas W. Ricks and H. Wayne Willhite "Hand-held imaging laser radar", Proc. SPIE 3065, Laser Radar Technology and Applications II, (6 August 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.281033

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