Terminal Guidance for Autonomous Aerial Refueling Navy SBIR FY2010.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2010.1 Topic No.: N101-073 Topic Title: Terminal Guidance for Autonomous Aerial Refueling Proposal No.: N101-073-1384 Firm: Advanced Scientific Concepts, Inc. 135 E. Ortega Street Santa Barbara, California 93101 Contact: Bradley Short Phone: (805) 966-3331 Abstract: Advanced Scientific Concepts, Inc. (ASC) has developed a 3D camera that will provide a breakthrough in GNC sensing technology and is ideal for autonomous aerial refueling(AAR). In July 2009, ASCs DragonEye 3D Flash LIDARTM camera was in orbit for 16 days successfully imaging the Endeavor Orbiter (STS-127) to Space Station docking. ASC is developing, for SpaceX Corporation, a camera for autonomous rendezvous and docking that is directly applicable as a sensing solution for AAR. 3D Flash LIDAR (3DFL) can provide position and velocity data for multiple objects from distances of 25cm to 2.5 km. Flash LIDAR Cameras (FLC) are 3D vision systems that return range and intensity information for each pixel in the Focal Plane Array (FPA) simultaneously in real time. ASC's 128x128 3D array FLC has the equivalent of 16,000 range finders on a single FPA which allows the sensor to act as a 3D video camera with enhanced functionality and value well beyond range finding. The objective of the Phase I effort will be to develop a detailed architectural design concept for a unmanned air vehicle terminal guidance using a 3D Flash LIDAR Autonomous Aerial Refueling (FLAAR) system Benefits: ASC is pursuing various commercial applications such as collision avoidance to save pedestrians and prevent vehicle damage, helicopter landing in brown-out conditions, mid-air refueling, surveillance, terrain mapping, autonomous navigation for UGVs, unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and UAVs, smart intersection, LIDAR braking, robotics, machine vision, hazard material detection and handling, underwater 3D imaging, sub nanosecond dynamic imaging, 3D sports imaging and data transmission, consumer electronics. The autonomous navigation developed in this effort will benefit multiple unmanned platforms with improved 3D guidance navigation and control (3DGNC) Return