Laser communications for unmanned aircraft systems using differential GPS and IMU data

Mariusz Czarnomski; Jason Blakely; Ziming Wang; Gregory Williamson; Richard R. Schultz; William H. Semke

doi:10.1117/12.842109

26 February 2010 Laser communications for unmanned aircraft systems using differential GPS and IMU data

Mariusz Czarnomski, Jason Blakely, Ziming Wang, Gregory Williamson, Richard R. Schultz, William H. Semke

Proceedings Volume 7587, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies XXII; 758709 (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.842109
Event: SPIE LASE, 2010, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Free space laser communications provides wide bandwidth and high security capabilities to Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in order to successfully accomplish Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. A practical implementation of a laser-based video communications payload flown by a small UAS aircraft is described as a proof-of-concept. The two-axis gimbal pointing control algorithm calculates the line-of-sight vector in real-time by using differential GPS and IMU information gathered from the UAS vehicle's autopilot so that the laser transmitter in the airborne payload can accurately track a ground-based photodiode array receiver with a known GPS location. One of the future goals of the project is to move from UAS-to-ground communications to UAS-to-UAS free space laser communications.

Citation Download Citation

Mariusz Czarnomski, Jason Blakely, Ziming Wang, Gregory Williamson, Richard R. Schultz, and William H. Semke "Laser communications for unmanned aircraft systems using differential GPS and IMU data", Proc. SPIE 7587, Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies XXII, 758709 (26 February 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.842109

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