AeroVision = Enhanced Airborne Vision Sensor

我们正在开发小型无人驾驶飞机，用于世界各地的科学（烟灰云监测），商业（石油，天然气和矿产勘探和生产）和国家（陆地和海上边境巡逻）应用。使用超视距无人驾驶飞机的最大技术挑战是开发有效的碰撞检测传感器。这是我参加过的每一次无人驾驶汽车会议上都提出的一个基本要求。这也是我们潜在客户的要求，包括辉固航空测量和桑德地球物理有限公司（世界上最大和第二大地球物理测量公司，均位于加拿大），为政府机构和石油，天然气和采矿勘探和生产公司。我们建议调查全球市场的性质以及开发机载碰撞检测传感器的财务和技术可行性，该传感器基于使用两个同步相机作为立体成像对来模拟鱼，鸟和人类的视觉。我们计划为立体视觉技术引入额外的创新增强功能，通过偏振敏感图像，鱼可以在水下雾霾中看得更清楚，这种雾霾有可能穿透一定程度的云层。如果市场分析是积极的，我们的目标将是开发、测试和使用该系统在超视距飞行的无人飞机上，使飞机能够探测和避开空中物体，如其他飞机、气球和伞兵。英国民航局的克里夫·惠特克（Cliff Whittaker）建议，一旦得到证实，这种传感器可以在轻型飞机上得到更广泛的应用，从而有助于航空旅行的安全，并使我们能够在英国这一领域建立世界领先的出口业务。另一个好处是环保，因为小型无人驾驶飞机比有人驾驶飞机使用更少的燃料。

We are developing small unmanned aircraft for use throughout the world in scientific (ashcloud monitoring), commercial (oil, gas and mineral exploration and production) and state(land and maritime border patrol) applications. The greatest technical challenge to the use ofunmanned aircraft operating beyond line of sight is the development of an effective collisiondetection sensor. This is an essential requirement that has been voiced at every unmannedvehicle conference I have attended. It has also been a requirement of our potential customers,including Fugro Airborne Surveys and Sander Geophysics Limited (the largest and secondlargest geophysical survey companies in the world, both based in Canada) for Governmentagencies and oil, gas and mining exploration and production companies.We propose to investigate the nature of the global market and the financial and technicalfeasibility of developing an airborne collision detection sensor, based on the use of twosynchronised cameras operating as a stereo imaging pair, to mimic fish, bird and humanvision. We plan to introduce additional innovative enhancements to the stereo visiontechnology with polarisation sensitive imagery, something fish use to see more clearly thoughunderwater haze, which has the potential to see through some level of cloud cover.Our aim, should the market analysis be positive, would be to develop, test and use this systemon unmanned aircraft that fly beyond line of sight, to enable the aircraft to detect and avoidairborne objects, such as other aircraft, balloons and parachutists.Once proven, it was suggested by Cliff Whittaker at the Civil Aviation Authority, this sensorcould find wider application on light aircraft, so contributing to the safety of air travel andenabling us to build up a world leading export business in this area in the U.K.Another benefit will be environmental, since small unmanned aircraft use less fuel than theirmanned counterparts.