Current airborne LWIR HSI remote sensing activities at Defence R&D Canada — Valcartier

Abstract

Recently, DRDC Valcartier has been investigating longwave hyperspectral imaging (HSI) remote sensing techniques using airborne sensors. There is currently an initiative to test the commercially available ground-based Hyper-Cam HSI system, developed by Telops, on a stabilized airborne platform with an integrated image motion compensation capability. The Hyper-Cam is also based on the Fourier-transform technology yielding high spectral resolution and enabling high accuracy radiometric calibration. It provides passive signature measurement capability, with up to 320×256 pixels at spectral resolutions of up to 0.25 cm−1. To our knowledge, the Hyper-Cam is the first commercial airborne hyperspectral imaging sensor based on Fourier-transform infrared technology. Airborne measurements and some preliminary performance criteria for the Hyper-Cam are presented in this paper.