Angle of Incidence Measurement System

ABSTRACT: To address the Air Force need for improved sensors to measure the angle of incidence (AOI), trajectory, and angle of attack (AOA) of missiles and projectiles at impact, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Angle of Incidence Measurement Sensor (AIMS) system. The innovation in the system architecture and design based on mature"streak"cameras and laser radar components and processing algorithms offers AOI, trajectory, and AOA measurements of incoming weapons at an unprecedented accuracy (<1 deg error,<5 cm position error) at high speed (up to Mach 2). By design, this system offers long-distance sensing even at small sun angles and sun glint and consumes less than 25 W in operation. The design leverages commercial miniature components and our packaging designs to offer a small and lightweight system with ruggedized sensors for the ground test range. In Phase I, POC will survey existing sensor systems and design a complete prototype AIMS system. We will also validate the use of our line scan hardware in missile imaging applications and fabricate a proof-of-concept prototype to demonstrate our results. In Phase II, we will refine our design per Air Force input and fabricate a complete production-ready AIMS sensor system. BENEFIT: The proposed AIMS sensor system will make possible high-accuracy measurement of fast-moving targets using low-cost imaging sensors. Commercial applications include aerospace targeting and flight guidance, high-speed manufacturing process control, and vehicle safety and collision avoidance sensors.