SBIR-STTR Award

Advanced Coherent Technologies, LLC (ACT) has demonstrated the value of simple Visible-Near Infrared (VNIR) EO multispectral system in small packages in recent US Navy sponsored Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) programs (N06-013, N05-119 and N07-019) as well as in the current Multimission Advanced Sensor System (MASS) project which is focused on deploying a VNIR multispectral sensor on the TigerShark UAV for NAVIAR 4.5.x. The sensor system being developed for Whale Search Radar (SBIR N07-019) will consist of three VNIR mulitispectral cameras, one Sony block zoom video camera and one LWIR microbolometer. The cameras are integrated into a modified CloudCap T2 turret (7 lbs). The success of these programs provide an excellent launching point to satisfy the current SBIR topic. The ACT team plans to leverage the progress made in current VNIR MSI programs and will focus both on miniaturizing the system for deployment in UAVs (replacing the current single board computer used for processing with a field programmable gate array based system for example) and on tailoring the system for JMMES applications. It is the objective of this project to incorporate as much of the multimission capability available in the JMMES system into the Tier II UAV payload package.

Benefit:
This program will constitute a significant upgrade the capability and utility of small EO/IR turrets on small UAVs. The key ingredients to this upgrade are the use of much more capable camera systems in addition to the incorporation of target detection processing into the system. Both are necessary and work together. The camera upgrades provide greater bit depth and lower noise thus acquiring much more information. So much information that it cannot be downloaded using current (or future) downlinks. By processing the data stream prior to downlink we can extract the appropriate (actionable) information and assemble it in a format that can be downlinked. The result is a sensor capable of much more than just situational awareness. A sensor that can detect and track low contrast targets previously undetectable creating a utility in counter mine, counter IED, ASW, and search and rescue that is not available in current EO/IR turrets.

Keywords:
mine countermeasures, mine countermeasures, Multispectral, antisubmarine warfare, UAV Payload, Electro Optics

Advanced Coherent Technologies, LLC (ACT) proposes to develop a UAS payload framework into which modular, mission-specific electro optic/infrared (EO/IR) systems can be incorporated in a plug and play fashion. This framework should be compatible with the Navy Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (STUAS) airframe as well as others (e.g. Tigershark) and incorporate, to as much extent as possible, the Joint Multi-Mission Electro-Optic System (JMMES) missions. JMMES is an EO/IR system developed under a Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) that has mission capabilities in surf zone and shallow water mine countermeasures, optical anti-submarine warefare (ASW), maritime search and rescue, and land-based counter terrorism among others. The system is housed in a 15 inch Wescam gimbal and is thus not deployable on small Tier II UASs. The objective of this program is to extend the JMMES utility to STUAS and other small UASs.

Benefit:
This program will create a significant upgrade in the capability and utility of small EO/IR turrets on small UAS's. The key ingredients to this upgrade are the use of much more capable camera systems in addition to the incorporation of target detection processing into the system. Both are necessary and work together. The camera upgrades provide greater bit depth and higher resolution thus acquiring much more information. So much information that it cannot be downloaded using current (or future) downlinks. By processing the data stream prior to downlink ACT can extract the appropriate (actionable) information and assemble it in a format that can be downlinked. The result is a sensor capable of much more than just situational awareness; a sensor that can detect and track low contrast targets previously undetectable creating a utility in counter mine, counter IED, ASW and search and rescue that is not available in current EO/IR turrets.

Keywords:
electro-optical, UAS payloads, IED detection, Multispectral, STUAS, counter-terrorism, ASW