The design of a real-time 94-GHz passive millimetre-wave imager for helicopter operations

Roger Appleby; Rupert N. Anderton; Neil H. Thomson; James W. Jack

doi:10.1117/12.581336

8 December 2004 The design of a real-time 94-GHz passive millimetre-wave imager for helicopter operations

Roger Appleby, Rupert N. Anderton, Neil H. Thomson, James W. Jack

Proceedings Volume 5619, Passive Millimetre-Wave and Terahertz Imaging and Technology; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.581336
Event: European Symposium on Optics and Photonics for Defence and Security, 2004, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

It is well known that millimetre wave systems can penetrate poor weather and battlefield obscurants far better than infrared or visible systems. Imaging in this band offers the opportunity for passive surveillance and navigation allowing military operations in poor weather. We have previously reported a novel prototype real time mechanically scanned passive millimetre wave imager operating at 94GHz. This 94GHz imager has diffraction limited performance over the central two thirds of the 30 x 60 degrees field of view with and a 25Hz frame update rate. This paper reports the redesign of the prototype to operate in a helicopter environment. The vibration resulting from the helicopter rotors can typically range up to 3g peak at specific frequencies and is the major challenge for imaging systems. The mechanical design of the new imager is based on a rigid space frame utilising expanded polystyrene as a structural element to support the receiver array. The optical design of the imager has also been toleranced so that the impact of vibration on image quality is minimised. The use of novel design techniques and materials support a development path to a low cost low mass production unit.

Citation Download Citation

Roger Appleby, Rupert N. Anderton, Neil H. Thomson, and James W. Jack "The design of a real-time 94-GHz passive millimetre-wave imager for helicopter operations", Proc. SPIE 5619, Passive Millimetre-Wave and Terahertz Imaging and Technology, (8 December 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.581336

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available