Two Axis Electro-Optical Infrared Sensors Will Enable ISR Missions to See More and Do More

Two Axis Electro-Optical Infrared Sensors Will Enable ISR Missions to See More and Do More

With the rise of unmanned aerial vehicles, EO and IR sensors have become key to providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.two axis electro optical infrared Electro-optical (EO) sensors capture infrared radiation that a target reflects or emits to produce an image of the target. Depending on the type of sensor, a manned or unmanned aircraft can use this information for target acquisition, rangefinding, imaging and surveillance.

Optical sensing technology will enable military systems to see more and do more.two axis electro optical infrared Advances in size, power requirements, ruggedness and range will help military platforms stay ahead of threats, including those hidden from line-of-sight. The ability to detect low-signal targets in noisy and cluttered environments will be critical for future ISR missions. Increasingly, the ability to do more with less is being demanded, as defense budgets are squeezed and mission demands increase.

New EO and IR technologies include hyperspectral imaging, which uses multiple sensors to collect and process information across the electromagnetic spectrum.two axis electro optical infrared The results are more detailed than traditional visible light or IR imaging, enabling the identification of hard-to-detect threats in both daytime and nighttime operations and through otherwise obscuring atmospheric conditions. Combined with EO/IR imaging, hyperspectral imaging can help provide the battlespace visibility needed to maintain a persistent advantage in ISR operations.

The ability to rapidly and reliably track a moving target will also be important. Advanced multiphoton imaging systems can enable subcellular interrogation of membrane-bound and ultrafast indicators by targeting excitation light to specific locations.11-13 However, this approach requires high excitation power and may require the excitation of many sites simultaneously.14 Moreover, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of multiphoton imaging systems is limited by the spectral separation between excitation sites and the ability to disentangle emission from adjacent sites.

A new generation of gimbal-stabilized dual sensor EO/IR cameras that are smaller, lighter and more powerful will make these systems even more effective. These new cameras will enable manned and unmanned aircraft to search, observe and track moving targets with a high degree of accuracy. They will also enable the detection and tracking of difficult air and ground targets in challenging environments.

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