Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N152-111

Description

To address the Navy need for a fast initializing, real-time, precision ship-relative navigation (PS-RN) system, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a novel Airborne Vision Insect Optic Nautical Precision Landing (AVION-PL) sensor for the Sea-based Automatic Landing Recovery System (SALRS). AVION-PL is based on a novel compound-eye insect optics that is low in size, weight, and power (SWaP) using POC-developed mature design and proven components. The innovation in wide field of view, multi-aperture configuration, customized beacons, high bandwidth, and custom embedded processing will enable the system to rapidly initialize, detect, track and guide airborne platforms during landing approach without GPS or RF emissions. As a result, AVION-PL offers fast initialization (<10s), range (error <4%), angular pose (<0.2) and wide-angle tracking without gimbals in a high integrity solution directly addressing the Navy's leap ahead SALRS requirements. In Phase I, POC will develop a system concept, demonstrate the feasibility of AVION-PL through rapid initializing detection, tracking, and relative pose estimation for carrier-based aircraft landing, and report on results. In Phase II, POC plans to build an AVION-PL prototype to test in a laboratory and simulate it over a full range of lighting and weather conditions.