Multiple Sensor Simulation in Support of Helicopter Day, Night and All Weather (DNAW) Operation

‡This paper presents an implementation of an IIMMW simulator for use in developing a multisensory fusion methodology for Helicopter DNAW operations. The functional modeling approach based on power representation of the simulated sensors is adopted in the simulation. The detailed power and attenuation models are described and the received power from the target and background is converted into intensity values and rendered as an image. The effect of various weather conditions including rain, fog, snow and dust are considered. As a result, some examples of simulated MMW and IR images generated by the simulator are shown.

[1]  Theresa H. Carbonneau,et al.  Opportunities and challenges for optical wireless: the competitive advantage of free space telecommunications links in today's crowded marketplace , 1998, Other Conferences.

[2]  M. A. Wolfe A first course in numerical analysis , 1972 .

[3]  R. Driggers,et al.  Introduction to Infrared and Electro-Optical Systems , 1998 .

[4]  Jon Rigelsford,et al.  Millimeter-Wave and infrared Multisensor Design and Signal Processing , 2002 .

[5]  Juan Cuenca,et al.  Experimental investigation of the angular variation of emissivity in the thermal infrared band , 1998, Remote Sensing.

[6]  Hervé Sizun,et al.  Fog attenuation prediction for optical and infrared waves , 2004 .

[7]  E. Altshuler,et al.  A simple expression for estimating attenuation by fog at millimeter wavelengths , 1984 .

[8]  Jens Schiefele,et al.  Generation of infrared imagery from an aviation synthetic vision database , 2005, SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing.

[9]  Karl R. Schulz,et al.  Hellas: obstacle warning system for helicopters , 2002, SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing.

[10]  Hiroshi H. Agravante,et al.  Advanced radiometric millimeter-wave scene simulation: ARMSS , 1997, Defense, Security, and Sensing.

[11]  G. S. Parks,et al.  Millimeter-Wave Imaging Sensor , 1986, 1986 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[12]  C. H. Tuomela,et al.  Civil helicopter wire strike assessment study. Volume 1: Findings and recommendations , 1980 .

[13]  Jens Schiefele,et al.  Flight simulator with IR and MMW radar image generation capabilities , 2006, SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing.

[14]  Richard E. Zelenka,et al.  Design and Flight Test of 35-GigaHertz Radar for Terrain and Obstacle Avoidance , 1997 .

[15]  C. H. Tuomela,et al.  Civil helicopter wire strike assessment study. Volume 2: Accident analysis briefs , 1980 .

[16]  Takayuki Yanagisawa,et al.  Simulation of visible/infrared sensor images , 1996, Defense, Security, and Sensing.

[17]  Graham M. Brooker,et al.  Seeing through dust and water vapor: Millimeter wave radar sensors for mining applications , 2007, J. Field Robotics.

[18]  T. Oguchi Electromagnetic wave propagation and scattering in rain and other hydrometeors , 1983, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[19]  Ralph R. Martin,et al.  Simulation of FLIR and LADAR data using graphics animation software , 2000, Proceedings the Eighth Pacific Conference on Computer Graphics and Applications.

[20]  Ho-Jin Lee,et al.  Framework of passive millimeter-wave scene simulation based on material classification , 2006, SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing.

[21]  M. L. Busbridge,et al.  A laser obstacle avoidance and display system , 1989, Proceedings of the IEEE National Aerospace and Electronics Conference.

[22]  G. M. Hogg CLARA : A coherent CO2 multi-mode laser radar , 1997 .

[23]  Hans-Ullrich Doehler,et al.  Simulation of imaging radar for obstacle avoidance and enhanced vision , 1997, Defense, Security, and Sensing.

[24]  Naruto Yonemoto,et al.  Millimeter wave radar for the obstacle detection and warning system for helicopters , 2002, RADAR 2002.