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Instruments
3-D Imaging Lidars
- Forest Penetration
- Underwater Imaging
- Multikilohertz Microlaser Altimeter
- Order of Magnitude Smaller Than Conventional Altimeters For Equal Altitude and Resolution
- Centimeter Level Resolution
- Aircraft or Space-Flight Capable Technology
- Smaller, More Reliable, Space-Proven Lasers
Imaging Photoncounting Altimeter
Sigma Space Corp has recently developed a revolutionary multi-beam photon counting lidar capable of recording 2.2 megapixels per second, with a spatial resolution of 15 cm, and vertical resolution of 3 cm. from 1000 m altitudes. Developed for UAV aircraft under a USAF Phase II SBIR, the systems uses a Nd:Yag microchip laser producing few microjoule sub-nanosecond pulses at fire rates of up to 22 KHz. The beam is broken into 100 beamlets that are scanned over the scene, and the returns imaged onto a high efficiency multi-stop capable detector. The detected photon pulses are timed and stored using a company proprietary 100 channel parallel timing unit with 100 picosec resolution. The pattern and frequency of a dual wedge scanner , synchronized to the laser fire rate, are tailored to provide contguous coverage of a ground scene in a single overflight. The Sigma systems operates 20 times faster that any commercial system available to date, with the added benefit of multistop capability, which assures multilevel determination for canopies, penetration of fog and dust clouds, and underwater imaging. With a volume of two cubic feet and 25 Kg mass the system lends itself to very compact deployment platforms. Various scientific and defense applications are being investigated.
For more information please contact 3Dlidar@sigmaspace.com
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Imaging Photoncounting
Altimeter
Data Image 1 | Imaging Photoncounting Altimeter
Data Image 2 |
Multikilohertz Microlaser Altimeter (2003)
Developed by Dr. John Degnan under the Instrument Incubator Program, this instrument is designed to detect single photon returns
reflected from targets of interest and determine their height. During flight tests onboard P-3 and C-130 aircraft, the instrument
performed exceptionally well (see data below). Sigma provided optical, mechanical and electrical design and analysis support at its
facilities. Fabrication, assembly and alignment were all performed in Sigma's machine shop and optical laboratory. This instrument
is comprised of an optical bench, transmit and receive optics, computer-controlled iris, spatial and spectral filters, stray-light baffles,
interface optics to a micro-laser transmitter, photo detector, and CCD camera. In addition, Sigma designed and fabricated a high-speed optical
scanner to be used in conjunction with this instrument. This scanner is capable of rotating in excess of 1200 RPM's. Sigma engineers designed
custom electronics for controlling the scanner, determining its position, and feeding the information to a computer. Sigma personnel also
worked closely with the instrument development team during the integration phase of the project and provided support during flight tests.
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Microlaser Altimeter
Instrument | Microlaser Altimeter
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