TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Electronics

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA 261 - Heavy Lift Helicopter, ACAT I; PMA-275; PMA-209

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Develop innovative LADAR technologies which improve upon the signal processing of Laser pulse returns to provide higher image resolution, greater range resolution, increased update rates, and larger Field of View (FOV).

DESCRIPTION: Navy and Marine Corps helicopter operations under visually degraded environment (VDE) conditions during landings and troop insertions/extractions have resulted in accidents caused by the pilot and aircrew loss of Situational Awareness (SA). VDE results when the pilot and aircrew are unable to recognize objects and terrain due to blowing dust/snow (brownout / whiteout) conditions, or dense fog. Pilots and crew operating aircraft under such desperate conditions require high image resolution (1024 x 720, or 1280 x 1080 pixels) and range accuracy (in centimeters) at rages of 100 to 1000 ft in real time that allows imaging of desired target area and associated objects within such zone while operating aircraft in a VDE. LADAR imaging sensors offer an imaging capability that could penetrate brownout/whiteout conditions and support landing in VDE. However, current LADAR sensors have low spatial resolution (256 x 256, or 512 by 512) and limited field of view (30 to 60 degrees) in order to achieve near real-time display imagery. In addition, to obtain desired range accuracy in the decimeter to centimeter range requires post collect processing. Processing technologies for enhancing and/or fusing LADAR and other sensor sources should enhance object detection and identification within the sensor�s FOV, allowing pilots to recognize hazards associated with the safe operation of the aircraft. Therefore, innovative signal and image processing technologies are hereby sought that would provide a pilot such an enhanced fused image of the landing area. This should as a minimum include active gated LADAR imaging and fusion of other sensor sources such as millimeter wave (MMW), low/visual light cameras and infrared video sensors. In addition, consideration should be given to approaches that also address the vertical lift operations in VDE. Consideration shall be given to scaling proposed technologies to the size weight, and power consumption available in the helicopter environment.

PHASE I: Determine the feasibility of developing new processing technologies and system architectures that increase effective LADAR image resolution, range accuracy, and increase FOV imagery in real-time to pilots (no apparent processing-time difference as view by the pilot compared to what he would see outside the aircraft with no VDE). Consider the fusion of other sensor data to enhance the detection and identification of objects and terrain features. Describe how fused imagery data from other sensor with improved LADAR imagery processing can enhance pilot SA in a VDE. Describe how current technologies compare to proposed LADAR sensor processing technologies.

PHASE II: Develop prototype or modify existing LADAR system with proposed new technologies and architectures to improve senor system performance and pilot SA. Test the prototype developmental unit to assess its imagery resolution, range resolution accuracies, expanded FOV, and real-time processing capability enhances the detection and recognition of objects and terrain features in laboratory (in door/outdoor) environments.

PHASE III: Integrate a developmental unit onto a helicopter testbed or lead platform helicopter platform. Demonstrate real-world operation of the system in a VDE and its capability to enhance pilot and aircrew SA in such austere environments. Refine hardware and software solution to improve and optimize system performance. Upon successful system performance demonstration, start process of ruggedizing and integrating system for Naval helicopter environment and operations on a designate lead platform. Also perform studies to determine where such sensor or sensors could be mounted on lead platform.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The technology developed could be applicable to commercial aircraft builders and aircraft operators, particularly for helicopter manufactures and fleet operators. This technology would also be applicable to life-saving, law enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, and US Coast Guard helicopter aviation units.

REFERENCES:
1. National Defense, Aug 2007, " Sandblaster Gives Helicopters Hope for Safe Landing"

2. Air Force Research Laboratory, 28 Aug 2007, "AFRL Develops Partial Solution to Helicopter Brownout"

3. Popular Mechanics, 3 Oct 2006, "Flying Blind in Iraq: U.S. Helicopters Navigate Real Desert Storms"

KEYWORDS: LADAR; visual degraded environment; brownout; whiteout; enhanced situational awareness; ladar image processing

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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