Miniature Flash LIDAR for Helicopter UAV Obstacle Field Navigation and Landing Site Selection in Complex Urban Environments

Advanced Scientific Concept's (ASC) eye-safe 3D Flash LIDAR™ cameras provide a breakthrough in 6DOF computations for UAS control systems. This 3D array technology has allowed ASC to produce compact non-mechanical LIDAR cameras that collect full frame 3D point clouds in a single FLASH (Flash LIDAR). 3D Flash LIDAR Cameras (FLC) can output frames of 128x128 3D point clouds in real-time (20Hz) making them a robust solution for flight-critical obstacle field navigation systems. The three dimensional "framing camera" nature of Flash LIDAR systems, and the corresponding real-time data output of the surrounding terrain allows for detection of dynamic hazards making this unique camera ideal as a hazard avoidance, landing and navigation aid in cluttered urban environments. ASC Flash LIDAR cameras can provide direct, real-time altitude measurements for the aircraft during descent as well as provide surface relative velocity and orientation, while simultaneously mapping the topography of the terrain below. ASC’s cameras have no moving parts, are robust, light weight (