Award Data

The innovation is a compact, UAV compatible, high-definition hyperspectral imaging system. The system concurrently-acquires a hyperspectral image using a compact grating imaging spectrometer and a much-higher spatial resolution color photographic image using a portable, measurement-grade, high-definition CCD camera (2,000 x 1,312 pixel). The spectral resolution of the hyperspectral image is better ...

Missile defense takes place in an uncertain and dynamic environment, so multi-sensor fusion must be employed to aggregate and merge disparate data from the battlefield. However, the fusion process is hindered by the vast amount of uncertainty in operational contexts, such as imprecise measurements and varying environmental conditions. Various algorithms and fusion processes have been developed to ...

The need for aerodynamics-based efficiency enhancements for air vehicles is presented. Concepts are presented for morphing aircraft, to enable the aircraft to optimize its configuration for various flight regimes. Using simulations, wind tunnel testing, and benchtop hardware development, the feasibility of the concepts will be established in Phase I. In Phase II, flight testing will be performed t ...

This Phase I STTR project will demonstrate the Aerospace System Monitor (ASM). This technology transforms the power distribution network in a spacecraft or aircraft into a multiple-use service, providing not only power distribution but also a diagnostic monitoring capability based on observations of the way in which loads draw power from the distribution service. Careful measurements are made po ...

The technical objectives for the proposed Phase I study are: 1.Develop a compact, dual-wavelength antenna system capable of electronically scanning or producing multi-beams at different incidence angles, conical scanning and generating matched beams at both wavelengths. 2.Determine the optimal frequencies for the dual-wavelength operation that balances resolution, sensitivity, atmospheric attenuat ...

A random access, solid-state, optical cross-switch capable of 770 channel discrimination in the telecommunications C-band is designed and proven as an alternative to current thin-film WDM devices and as a mechanically robust alternative tomicroelectromechanical (MEMS) WDM devices. The device may be used in multiplexing (mux), demultiplexing (demux), or complete cross-switch configurations, and is ...

During Phase I, Aurora Flight Sciences and the University of Massachusetts Lowell propose to demonstrate the feasibility of enhancing a commercially available out-of-autoclave (OOA) carbon prepreg material system (e.g. IM7/5320) via embedded structural health monitoring (SHM) and self-healing capabilities, which can be manufactured by an automated fiber placement (AFP) machine. This proposed "sma ...

The Goal of this STTR is to develop a high speed, high power, waveguide based modulator (phase and amplitude) and investigate its use as a pulse slicer. The key innovation in this effort is the use of potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) waveguides making the high power, polarization based waveguide amplitude modulator possible. Furthermore because it is fabricated in KTP, the waveguide component w ...

A Web-based Airborne Remote Sensing Telemetry Server (WARSTS) is proposed to integrate UAV telemetry and web-technology into an innovative communication, command, control, and computer-network (C4) system for operational UAV remote sensing. WARSTS integrates two innovative subsystems: the Tracking Antenna Radio Link (TARL) and the Web-based Application Support System (WASS). TARL serves as the sen ...

The main objective of this Phase II STTR project is to develop advanced control algorithms that enable multiple autonomous agents to perform complex tasks in rapidly changing environment cooperatively. We plan to use the forest fire monitoring mission to demonstrate the benefits of the proposed technology. The mission concept involves using multiple Low Altitude Short Endurance (LASE) Unmanned Ae ...