3.2.5 UAV Sensor and Technology DevelopmentsCurrently some practical and operational limitations limit developments in UAV capability. The mostnimportant is probably the weight of higher resolution sensors in relation to the payload capacity.This is particularly relevant for the smaller platforms since electro-optical infrared sensors aregenerally 10-30% of payload weight and less than 5% the vehicle weight. Other constraints arerelated to camera optics and aperture, survivability, and data recording. Newer cameras canproduce more data, but do also have more electronics that require more power and produce moreheat. Gimbals and payload compartments are also increasingly thermally challenged. Although manyapplications using small UAV platforms make use of standard off-the-shelf technology, increasingdemand for better imaging systems might result in UAVs with a larger payload capability. As analternative, recent technological developments encourage high expectations on the miniaturizationof sensors and on higher power capacity of batteries.UAV sensor designers are now pushing into uncharted technological territory as they increasinglyconsider extreme design tradeoffs to improve sensor performance whilst also attempting to reducesize, weight, and power consumption. Not only is there a demand for ever-smaller, lighter, and lessexpensive electro-optical payloads, but demand for capability is also increasing. As electro-opticaland electronic component technology becomes smaller, lighter, and more affordable, so payloaddesigners sometimes have the option of choosing between smaller size and weight, or morecapability. Sometimes they strive to do both, and this will present some interesting possibilities indesign tradeoffs.Today, the UAV platform is setting the agenda for unmanned electro-optical sensor payloads. At thetop of that UAV agenda is a broad trend towards growing numbers of relatively small UAVs that canprovide local-area and short-duration surveillance. Size and weight are crucial, because for thesesmall UAVs one gram of payload weight can translate into 10 minutes worth of power to operate.Many UAV systems that are suited to specialised applications are therefore increasingly customdesigned.An obvious approach to addressing the size-and-weight problem is to combine several differentelectro-optical sensors into one integrated payload. Some of today's electro-optical payloadscombine a daylight video camera, laser rangefinder, and one or more kinds of infrared ormultispectral imaging sensors. As an example HoodTech (www.hoodtech.com) has been able tocombine midwave IR sensor, daylight video camera, and laser rangefinder into a single payload thatweighs about 1.2 kg.One of the most crucial, yet largely ignored requirements for electro-optical payloads in small UAVsis the ability to keep the sensor stable enough whilst in flight to provide usable video and images.The smaller the UAV, the more influence any gust of wind can have on the sensor's ability to focuson areas of interest. Historically, stabilization technology has been a problem to address – thesolutions being heavy, expensive, and power-demanding. Yet, despite perceived drawbacks for useon small UAVs, sensor payload designers are focusing on the use of stabilization technology, not onlyto improve performance, but also to address size and weight.Payload engineers are faced with highly technical demands, like delivering very narrow field-of-viewimages, on-board image processing, video compression, multi-spectral simultaneous imaging, and
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