<title>Nonscanned ladar imaging and applications</title>

Abstract

A scannerless laser detection and ranging (LADAR) system is presently in development for applications at Sandia National Laboratories. This LADAR design eliminates the need for a mechanical laser beam scanner which is often the system component that limits the use of laser radars for many applications. Range to the target scene is determined in this approach by measuring the phase shift of the intensity modulation on the received optical return compared to the reference. The approach used in this LADAR is unique because the method used to detect this phase shift is an array of time integrating detectors that also records the image of the target scene. An analytical model is presented that describes the LADAR system performance. Applications of this LADAR system also are reviewed. They include terminal guidance of advanced conventional munitions, perimeter surveillance of secure facilities, mapping potholes/cracks in the U.S. highway system for improved maintenance scheduling, active collision avoidance of commercial/private vehicles, robotic vision integrated into advanced manufacturing concepts, and a novel airborne multi-sensor system containing LADAR, SAR, and LIDAR to locate and measure the thickness of ocean oil spills.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.