Project OCULUS: enhanced visual information platform

Significant to the current and future needs of Homeland Security, Counterdrug and the warfighter support, enhancing the vision capabilities of already established and familiar airframes for expanded mission requirements is preferential to physical remodelling or the design and development of specialized aircraft. The modular design of equipment compatible with existing airframes, for a variety of alternative and novel applications, has many benefits, the most practical being those of reduced cost and time towards implementation. A brief survey is conducted which examines the Lockheed Martin C-130 airframe as a prime candidate for surveillance and reconnaissance remote sensing expansion capabilities. This paper provides a short survey of the Oculus sensor pallet system that has been designed following multiple guidelines to ensure that any specified number of various remote sensing technologies may be simultaneously mounted and deployed with minimal operator effort and without undue concern for the needs of effective mission compliance. West Virginia University (WVU) was tasked with the design and construction of a fully prototyped and integrated two-pallet system to meet the needs of multiple air-based sensor requirements with provisions for expansion and upgrade. The resulting prototyped design is a storable Ro-Ro two-palletized system. Parameters of the Oculus roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) two-pallet system, which deploys equipment directly from the C-130s rear cargo door, is explored and a listing of supported surveillance and reconnaissance missions is provided.