SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AEROSPACE REPORTS
A Biweekly Publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
VOLUME 43, ISSUE 13 - JULY 1, 2005
06 AVIONICS AND AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENTATION
Includes all avionics systems, cockpit and cabin display devices, and flight instruments intended for use in aircraft.
For related information see also 04 Aircraft Communications and Navigation; 08 Aircraft Stability and Control; 19 Spacecraft Instrumentation and Astrionics; and 35 Instrumentation and Photography.
20050180351 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
Development of an Autonomous Lidar Instrument for Use on a UAV Platform in Support of Homeland Security
McGill, Matthew; Famiglietti, Joe; [2005]; 1 pp.; In English; Research and Development for Partnering in Homeland Security, 26-28 Apr, 2005, Boston, MA, USA; No Copyright; Avail: Other Sources; Abstract Only
Researchers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center have developed an autonomous aerosol backscatter lidar instrument for use on the high-altitude ER-2 aircraft (for more information please visit http://cpl.gsfc.nasa.gov).
Work is currently underway to transfer this instrument to a UAV platform such as Global Hawk. While the NASA applications are Earth science and satellite validation, there is clearly a Homeland Security application for such an instrument.
One novel concept is to have a fleet of UAVs stationed around the country, each UAV having a payload including a lidar instrument. In the event of attack, the appropriate UAV(s) could be launched for purposes of, e.g., plume detection and tracking that are critical for decision support.
While the existing lidar instrument is not directly capable of biological species discrimination, it is capable of plume tracking and thus can demonstrate to DHS the capabilities and utility of such instruments. Using NASA funding we will have an instrument ready to fly on Global Hawk by end of 2005. We would like to find partners, either within private industry or within DHS who would be willing to contribute aircraft access and flight hours for a demonstration flight. Longer-term partnerships to develop more advanced and more capable types of lidar instruments are also desirable.
In this presentation we will detail the existing ER-2 lidar instrument and show measurement results, show the progress made on adapting to the Global Hawk platform, present concepts for DHS uses of such instruments, and openly pursue partnership opportunities. Author
Autonomy; Optical Radar; Pilotless Aircraft; Aircraft Instruments
Source: NASA.
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