Michael Hodgson

Title: Michael Hodgson and Spectroscopy Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Introduction

Michael Hodgson is an inventor associated with the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. His patent work describes a spectroscopy system that combines a ground-based station with an unmanned aerial vehicle to support remote detection.

Latest Patents

Hodgson is credited with 1 patent: “Spectroscopy Combining Base Stations and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.” The invention includes a base station with a reflecting telescope and laser light source, along with an unmanned aerial vehicle carrying a mobile retroreflector. The retroreflector receives the outgoing laser signal and returns light to the telescope. A detector records the returning signal’s intensity, while optical components use that signal for spectroscopic measurements. The system is designed to reveal the presence of a selected narrow band and help detect a target.

Career Highlights

Hodgson’s listed patent highlights an approach to spectroscopy that uses an aerial platform to return light to a stationary base station. This arrangement brings together laser illumination, a telescope, a mobile retroreflector, and optical analysis in a system intended for target detection.

Collaborations

Hodgson’s listed coworker is Nikolaos Vitzilaios. The patent’s combination of base-station and unmanned-aerial-vehicle components reflects collaborative work across spectroscopy and aerial systems.

Conclusion

Michael Hodgson’s patent presents a spectroscopy system that uses an unmanned aerial vehicle to return laser light for analysis, illustrating his contribution to remote sensing and target detection.