Stabilized Platform for Airborne Instrumentation

The DoEs Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) pursues accurate measurements of atmospheric radiation through its Aerial Vehicle Program (AVP). The ability to measure atmospheric radiation while in flight is a valuable capability for atmospheric research. These measurements complement satellite and ground station measurements in providing increased certainty in vertical column radiometric information, in order to aid in understanding climate forcing. The sensitive instruments used to make these measurements require inertially-stabilized platforms. Measurements of solar and infrared irradiance by instruments rigidly mounted to an aircraft have historically been plagued by the introduction of offsets and fluctuations into the data that are solely due to pitch and roll movements of the aircraft. In this SBIR project, KalScott Engineering proposes to develop and demonstrate a suitable stabilized platform that can be operated on typical DoE aircraft, such as the G-1 operated by DoE/Battelle Labs. In Phase I detailed engineering analyses will be performed to design the hardware and software. In Phase II, the hardware and software will be built and flight tested. The end result will be a lightweight, compact, flight-tested, production ready, FAA-approved stabilized platform for airborne instrumentation. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The proposed system will enable a variety of airborne instruments to be flown for atmospheric sensing, gathering imagery data, airborne land surveying, laser communications, etc