A method and apparatus provides instantaneous passive range measurement oard an aircraft for determining the range between the aircraft and a target. The target may either be stationary or a slower moving vehicle. Calculation of the desired range is achieved using the formula: Range=(S/S')V(Cos a)(Cos b) where "S"=apparent target size; "S'"=rate of change of apparent size; "V"=ground velocity; "a"=azimuth angle from aircraft heading to target; and "b"=elevation angle from the aircraft heading to the target. The apparatus consists of an automatic video tracker, a video camera, and a servo controlled aiming platform. The video tracker provides target size data. Resolvers on the aiming platform are utilized to determine the azimuth and elevation angles from the aircraft axis to the target. The azimuth angle is added to the aircraft drift angle to determine the total azimuth angle from the aircraft heading to the target. The drift angle and ground velocity are obtained from the aircraft inertial system.
A method and a system for determining a terrain parameter relative to a vehicle (100) by registering a first image from the vehicle located at a first point in space, then registering a second image from the vehicle (100) when it is located at a second point in space (O.sub.2) . Receiving vehicle movement data which describes at least one of a translation (R) between the first and second points in space (O.sub.1; O.sub.2), and a rotation (A) between the first and second points in space (O.sub.1; O.sub.2). A first image velocity vector is determined, which describes a movement of the primary representation of the first terrain point (P.sub.1) in the first image to the secondary representation thereof in the second image. A second image velocity vector is determined, which describes a movement of the primary representation of the second terrain point (P.sub.2) in the first image to the secondary representation thereof in the second image. A terrain vector is then resolved from a respective relationship expressing each of the first and second image velocity vectors as a function of the translation and the rotation, the terrain vector extending between one of the first and second points in space (O.sub.1; O.sub.2) and a particular terrain point (T) in proximity of the vehicle (100).
The object location identification system includes a Receiving Module (RM), an Angular Measuring System (AMS) and a processor. The RM receives information specifying a user's location and provides RM output data in terms of latitude, longitude and altitude. The AMS is connectable to a pointing device for measuring the orientation of the pointing device and providing AMS output data in at least heading and depression angles. The processor processes the RM output data and the AMS output data and provides location data of an object being pointed at by the pointing device.
A radar system including a base unit and a radar sensor. The sensor steers a beam in a scanning or tracking manner in both azimuth and elevation. Steering control in azimuth and elevation may be achieved based on configuration settings in the radar sensor processor. The pan-tilt setting may be configured remotely at the base unit. The sensor may include a camera to take panoramic images of the terrain surrounding the sensor, as well as objects-of-interest detected by the system. The sensor is able to transmit radar return information and camera images to the base unit. The base unit is able to display panoramic images and superimpose graphics illustrating a scan profile of the sensor in relationship to the surroundings. The beam steering profile can be controlled by graphically manipulating the profile on the display. This allows configuration of the scanning or tracking profile based on the sensor surroundings.
