COBRA Automatic Obstacle Detection (AOD)

The Arete Associates (Arete) proposed effort develops and implements a Automatic Obstacle Detection (AOD) capability for the existing Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA) Block I System. To provide an AOD capability for the COBRA Block I system, Arete will develop, design, implement and integrate an obstacle detection algorithm on the COBRA Post Mission Analysis (PMA) Station. The COBRA Block I system collects and analyzes Multispectral Imagery (MSI) data in the Surf Zone (SZ), Beach Zone (BZ) and Beach Exit Zone (BEZ) to detect minefields, fortifications, and obstacles on a custom Post Mission Analysis (PMA) station after the COBRA Airborne Payload Subystem (CAPS) imaging sensor has landed. Currently, Obstacle Detection is a manual, operator-in-the-loop, image review procedure performed on the PMA Station Subsystem. The lack of a COBRA AOD capability requires operators to manually open and review every multispectral image to perform visual obstacle detection. This amount of operator review to perform Obstacle Detection significantly extends the operational timelines associated with a COBRA mission. The proposed COBRA AOD capability will eliminate the manual operator-in-the-loop detection and subsequently provide for greater than 50% reduction to the current overall COBRA PMA timeline.