The Navy recently began investing in the design of mission-specific payloads for the Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft
System (STUAS). STUAS is a Tier II size UAS with a roughly 35 pound mission payload and a gimbaled general-purpose
electro optical/infrared (EO/IR) system. The EO/IR system is likely composed of a video camera in the visible,
a mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and/or a long-wave infrared (LWIR) for night operations, and an infrared marker and laser
range finder.
Advanced Coherent Technologies, LLC (ACT), in a series of SBIR efforts, has developed a modular, multi-channel
imaging system for deployment on airborne and UAV platforms. ACT's system, called EYE5, demonstrates how an
EO/IR system combined with an on-board, real-time processor can be tailored for specific applications to produce real-time
actionable data. The EYE5 sensor head and modular real-time processor descriptions are presented in this work.
Examples of the system's abilities in various Navy-relevant applications are reviewed.
Due to increased security concerns, the commitment to monitor and maintain security in the maritime environment is
increasingly a priority. A country's coast is the most vulnerable area for the incursion of illegal immigrants, terrorists
and contraband. This work illustrates the ability of a low-cost, light-weight, multi-spectral, multi-channel imaging
system to handle the environment and see under difficult marine conditions. The system and its implemented
detecting and tracking technologies should be organic to the maritime homeland security community for search and
rescue, fisheries, defense, and law enforcement. It is tailored for airborne and ship based platforms to detect, track
and monitor suspected objects (such as semi-submerged targets like marine mammals, vessels in distress, and drug
smugglers). In this system, automated detection and tracking technology is used to detect, classify and localize
potential threats or objects of interest within the imagery provided by the multi-spectral system. These algorithms
process the sensor data in real time, thereby providing immediate feedback when features of interest have been
detected. A supervised detection system based on Haar features and Cascade Classifiers is presented and results are
provided on real data. The system is shown to be extendable and reusable for a variety of different applications.
This paper describes an approach to utilize a multi-channel, multi-spectral electro-optic (EO) system for littoral zone
characterization. Advanced Coherent Technologies, LLC (ACT) presents their EO sensor systems for the surf zone
environmental assessment and potential surf zone target detection. Specifically, an approach is presented to determine a
Surf Zone Index (SZI) from the multi-spectral EO sensor system. SZI provides a single quantitative value of the surf
zone conditions delivering an immediate understanding of the area and an assessment as to how well an airborne optical
system might perform in a mine countermeasures (MCM) operation. Utilizing consecutive frames of SZI images, ACT
is able to measure variability over time. A surf zone nomograph, which incorporates targets, sensor, and environmental
data, including the SZI to determine the environmental impact on system performance, is reviewed in this work. ACT's
electro-optical multi-channel, multi-spectral imaging system and test results are presented and discussed.
KEYWORDS: Image processing, Cameras, Imaging systems, Ocean optics, Detection and tracking algorithms, Oceanography, Global Positioning System, Signal to noise ratio, Electro optical systems, Algorithm development
This work presents an electro-optical multispectral capability that detects and monitors marine mammals. It is a
continuance of Whale Search Radar SBIR program funded by PMA-264 through NAVAIR. A lightweight, multispectral,
turreted imaging system is designed for airborne and ship based platforms to detect and monitor marine mammals. The
system tests were conducted over the Humpback whale breeding and calving area in Maui, Hawaii. The results of the
tests and the system description are presented. The development of an automatic whale detection algorithm is discussed
as well as methodology used to turn raw survey data into quantifiable data products.
Advanced Coherent Technologies, LLC (ACT) is using a multi-spectral, multi-channel imaging system to
detect and monitor marine mammals. The system, designed with US Navy funding, is intended to monitor mammals on
US Navy submarine training ranges prior to and during Navy active acoustic training activities. ACT has conducted
system tests and data collection activities at the St. Lawrence Seaway (Quebec, Canada), at Ma'alaea Bay (Maui,
Hawaii), and from the Coronado Bay Bridge (San Diego, California). A description of the imaging system and the
results of the data collections are discussed and presented.
Advanced Coherent Technologies, LLC has demonstrated the use of multi-channel imaging systems in a variety of
applications. These systems are composed of multiple cameras or 'channels', each of which can be coupled with spectral
filters, polarization analyzers, or unique optics (e.g. for field of view (FOV) or aperture adjustments). The channel
content is designed specifically for the extraction of information and/or the detection of targets. Airborne data collects
have been made over forest and maritime environments for the detection of various targets. The results of these collects
are discussed and analyzed. Of particular concern is how channel content is chosen in each environment and for each
target.
Multispectral visible and infrared observations of various species of whales were made in the St. Lawrence Seaway near Quebec, Canada and Papawai Point in Maui, Hawaii. The Multi-mission Adaptable Narrowband Imaging System (MANTIS) was deployed in two configurations: airborne looking down, and bluff mounted looking at low-grazing angles. An Infrared (IR) sensor was also deployed in the bluff mounted configuration. Detections of marine mammals were made with these systems of submerged mammals and surface mammals at ranges up to 8 miles. Automatic detection algorithms are being explored to detect, track and monitor the behavior of individuals and pods of whales. This effort is part of a United States Navy effort to insure that marine mammals are not injured during the testing of the US Navy's acoustic Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW) systems.
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