The Boeing Company

Drs Sensors & Targeting Systems, Inc.

Mark Andrew Lundgren

Carl Frederick Dadson

Henry K Shu

Ketao Liu

John Y Liu

Gregory S Becker

Richard W Guthrie

Douglas Bender

Peter J Sedivec

Edward Stoll

Kirk K Kohnen

Andrew George Laquer

Ray E McVey

Friedrich Wilhelm Kunzler

Jean J Dolne

Maurice Masequesmay

Rachael Dawn Morelli

Ryan Douglas Jones

Lathan Hunter Collins, Iii

Joshua Robert Laub

Timothy G Montgomery

An unmanned aerial vehicle is provided, including an airframe including a fuselage and at least one stowable wing. The unmanned aerial vehicle can further include a radar panel positioned on the fuselage such that the radar panel is angled downward and extends longitudinally along a ventral region of the fuselage. The unmanned aerial vehicle can further include a drop-away rocket engine that is configured to detachably mount to the airframe adjacent the radar panel.

Unmanned aerial vehicle with sensor suite

A method includes capturing, with an image capture device, a first image of a scene while a portion of the scene has a first alignment with a first detector of a focal plane array and a first bandpass filter is between the portion of the scene and the first detector. The method includes, in response to determining that the portion of the scene has a second alignment with a second detector of the focal plane array, the second alignment substantially matching the first alignment, and that a second bandpass filter having a second frequency range that is distinct from a first frequency range of the first bandpass filter is between the portion of the scene and the second detector, initiating storage of a second image of the scene, the second image captured while the portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector.

Filter alignment for multi-spectral composite image

Systems and techniques for multi-spectral imaging. Light may be received at a multi-spectral optical module, which transmits a plurality of wavelength band portions of the received light, each having a pre-selected bandwidth between about two nanometers and about forty nanometers. The pre-selected bandwidths may be between about ten nanometers and about thirty nanometers. Each of the wavelength band portions may have the same pre-selected bandwidth, or may have different pre-selected bandwidths.

Multi-spectral imaging

A method for increasing resolution of a focal plane array having a plurality of pixels dispersed across a total pixel area is described. The method includes providing an active pixel area for the focal plane array that is less than the total pixel area, acquiring image data utilizing the reduced active pixel area, and storing the image data in a portion of a memory, the memory having a capacity corresponding to the total pixel area of the focal plane array.

Methods and systems for improving resolution of a digitally stabilized image

A protective shield assembly capable of being deployed from a launch vehicle is provided, and methods for assembling and deploying the protective shield assembly are also provided. The protective shield assembly includes a shroud, and a flexible sheet of material within the shroud. The flexible sheet of material is capable of substantially conforming to a contour of at least a portion of the launch vehicle to provide a protective barrier.

Protective shield assembly for space optics and associated methods

Systems and techniques for laser metrology. Two or more fanned probe beams are scanned relative to a surface including one or more targets. A position detection module receives return beam information from the fanned probe beams, and determines a position of at least a first target of the one or more targets based on the return beam information.

Multiple fanned laser beam metrology system

An inter-lens baffles unit for an imaging system is provided. The inter-baffle lens unit comprises at least two lens elements; a plurality of baffles positioned between the two lens elements, wherein the baffles are contoured to fit between the two lenses and to fill a volume between the lenses such that the baffles are parallel to an optical path of an imaging system.

Optical system with inter-lens baffles

Systems and methods for real-time determination of an angle and range to a surface are provided. In one embodiment, such a system may include a transmitter for producing an output beam, a scanner for redirecting the output beam into a scan pattern towards a surface, a receiver for receiving a beam scattered from the surface, and a processor adapted to receive continuous tangential angle data from the scanner, and range data from the receiver, in order to determine a real-time angle and range to the surface.

Attitude detection system and method

A system and method for spectral filtering of images are provided. The system and method utilize a first biconic lens surface to astigmatize a substantially 2-D system pupil into a substantially 1-D pupil (e.g., slit-shaped), and a second biconic lens surface to restore the astigmatic pupil to good quality. Advantageously, the light stream may be filtered with a variable filter.

Distorted pupil relay for spectral filtering

A docking target indicator for a docking device is provided. The docking target indicator comprises a base layer, having a rear surface and a front surface; wherein the front surface of the base layer is reflective; and a baffle structure is secured to the base layer.

Docking device

A dual field of view lens system comprising a first lens group aligned along an optical axis and a third lens group aligned along the optical axis and positioned a predetermined distanced from the first lens group. A second lens group, having an optical stop attached thereto, is aligned along the optical axis and disposed between the first and third lens groups such that the second lens group and the optical stop are moveable along the optical axis between a first position and a second position. Positioning the second lens group and the optical stop in the first position provides a wide field of view and moving the second lens group and the optical stop to a second position provides a narrow field of view.

Dual field of view lens system

The infrared image generation device, method and system generate realistic infrared images to accurately test infrared sensors. The device and system include a laser light source, at least one scanner, a processor and a target plate. The scanner(s) receive and redirect the laser light. The processor controls operation of the scanner(s) to generate at least one infrared image and the target plate receives the redirected light from the scanner(s) and, as such, the infrared image(s) are generated on the target plate. For instance, the target plate may display an infrared image having at least one portion that represents a temperature of at least 1000 Kelvin. The target plate may be made of a transparent heat sink layer facing the scanner(s), an insulator layer adjacent to the transparent heat sink layer, and an emissive layer that is at least opaque and is adjacent to the insulator layer.

Device, method and system for generating an infrared image

Systems and techniques for laser metrology. A system may include a laser source and a fanning apparatus configured to generate a fanned laser beam. The fanned laser beam may be scanned across the surface of an object, and may reflect off a plurality of targets positioned on the surface. A position detection module may determine a position of the metrology targets based on the reflected beam.

Growing community of inventors

Fullerton, CA, United States of America

Mark Andrew Lundgren