Remote thermal detection

Even with PowerFLARM on "stealth" pilots may soon have another way to find the next thermal. The DARPA "One Shot" initiative will develop a rifle scope which uses LIDAR to detect and correct for crosswind "windage". The Israeli Soreq Nuclear Research Center has already been granted a patent on the LIDAR technology.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/optic...ar-laserscope/
https://www.fbo.gov/utils/view?id=1c...0d40d64c7cc251

Rotate the 'scope 90 degrees and you have a thermal detector which directly reads vertical velocity. Presumably, if the system can be miniaturized to fit in a rifle scope and be powered by man-packable batteries, fitting it into a sailplane shouldn't be that difficult - costs aside.

On Tuesday, October 23, 2012 7:26:38 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:

http://www.accurateshooter.com/optic...ar-laserscope/

I expect that this technology will be deployed on Skynet Drones (UAVs) before it reaches sailplanes.

On Oct 23, 5:03*pm, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Tuesday, October 23, 2012 7:26:38 PM UTC-4, Bill D wrote:
http://www.accurateshooter.com/optic...ar-laserscope/

I expect that this technology will be deployed on Skynet Drones (UAVs) before it reaches sailplanes.

I did some consulting work for a small company making VR headgear to
be used for training purposes. I mentioned to him about the
possibility of tweaking the device so that it would pick up
"thermals". He seemed to think it could be done.

Of course the display would need to be re-designed for our use, but it
sure would be cool. I suspect it isn't too far on the tech horizon for
us glider guiders.

Brad

On Oct 23, 4:26*pm, Bill D wrote:
Even with PowerFLARM on "stealth" pilots may soon have another way to find the next thermal. *The DARPA "One Shot" initiative will develop a rifle scope which uses LIDAR to detect and correct for crosswind "windage". *The Israeli Soreq Nuclear Research Center has already been granted a patent on the LIDAR technology.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/optic...0d40d64c7cc251

Rotate the 'scope 90 degrees and you have a thermal detector which directly reads vertical velocity. *Presumably, if the system can be miniaturized to fit in a rifle scope and be powered by man-packable batteries, fitting it into a sailplane shouldn't be that difficult - costs aside.

The Israeli solution, iirc, uses speckle backscatter from the target,
not aerosol backscatter, so you'd have to have a buddy fly about half
a kilometer beside you and look for thermals in between.

My money would be on a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) based
solution.
Largely because this is technology which is extremely widely used
(every laser mouse does it in hardware).
I've heard about model airplanes using it to stabilize bank angle
(more speed = lower wing).

Roel

On Wednesday, 24 October 2012 08:57:21 UTC+1, Roel Baardman wrote:
My money would be on a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) based
solution.

Largely because this is technology which is extremely widely used
(every laser mouse does it in hardware).

Optical mice use integrated circuits like the Agilent ADNS-2620:
http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/data...cyqglz0hcy.pdf

So, unless you can form a 2D image of the particles'
velocity and have the ic process that image, I don't
see how you would do it.

I've heard about model airplanes using it to stabilize bank angle
(more speed = lower wing).

Quite possible. Many years ago I saw one of the
optical mice in the form or a ring on a finger.
With the appropriate focussing distance, the room
itself was used as a mouse pad.

On Wednesday, October 24, 2012 10:50:01 AM UTC+1, wrote:
On Wednesday, 24 October 2012 08:57:21 UTC+1, Roel Baardman wrote:

My money would be on a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) based

solution.



Largely because this is technology which is extremely widely used

(every laser mouse does it in hardware).



Optical mice use integrated circuits like the Agilent ADNS-2620:

http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/data...yqglz0hcy..pdf



So, unless you can form a 2D image of the particles'

velocity and have the ic process that image, I don't

see how you would do it.



I've heard about model airplanes using it to stabilize bank angle

(more speed = lower wing).



Quite possible. Many years ago I saw one of the

optical mice in the form or a ring on a finger.

With the appropriate focussing distance, the room

itself was used as a mouse pad.

Whatever the tech ultimately used to achieve this, what will it do to the sport? I know some people thought flight computers would ruin the sport, then GPS, then moving maps, but thus far it is still far from ruined. But visible thermals sounds like the biggest step yet towards reducing the challenge. What do others think?

On Wednesday, October 24, 2012 5:35:51 AM UTC-5, waremark wrote:
On Wednesday, October 24, 2012 10:50:01 AM UTC+1, wrote:

On Wednesday, 24 October 2012 08:57:21 UTC+1, Roel Baardman wrote:



My money would be on a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) based



solution.







Largely because this is technology which is extremely widely used



(every laser mouse does it in hardware).







Optical mice use integrated circuits like the Agilent ADNS-2620:



http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/data...cyqglz0hcy.pdf







So, unless you can form a 2D image of the particles'



velocity and have the ic process that image, I don't



see how you would do it.







I've heard about model airplanes using it to stabilize bank angle



(more speed = lower wing).







Quite possible. Many years ago I saw one of the



optical mice in the form or a ring on a finger.



With the appropriate focussing distance, the room



itself was used as a mouse pad.



Whatever the tech ultimately used to achieve this, what will it do to the sport? I know some people thought flight computers would ruin the sport, then GPS, then moving maps, but thus far it is still far from ruined. But visible thermals sounds like the biggest step yet towards reducing the challenge. What do others think?

it will turn a flight that previously would've gone 300km into a 500km flight. would probably lead to a huge increase in the number of pilots flying cross country and in contests. records would start falling everywhere. i can't wait

Whatever the tech ultimately used to achieve this, what will it do
to the sport? I know some people thought flight computers would
ruin the sport, then GPS, then moving maps, but thus far it is
still far from ruined. But visible thermals sounds like the
biggest step yet
towards reducing the challenge. What do others think?

I think it actually doesn't matter what people think. Technology
will become available for the masses sooner or later, which will
challenge both pilots and contest organisers to think outside the
box.

Pilots will have to deal with more (sources of) information, and
will have to prioritize.
Contest organizers must find new ways to challenge pilots.

Besides this, the question is if remote detection will change the
field a lot. The same arguments hold for this as for the discussion
about powerFLARM I think.

Personally I am an aerobatic gliderpilot (and there's no tech for us
at all!), so this doesn't affect me directly. The only advantage is
that I can probably glide further when I decide to go cross-country
one day.

So, unless you can form a 2D image of the particles'
velocity and have the ic process that image, I don't
see how you would do it.

The particles moving inside a thermal are what I think you should
process. Little bugs lifting with the thermal, or even birds for a
start. Perhaps the curly movement of the cloud above the thermal in
the end?

If you can have some electronics spot that falcon circling a few miles
ahead in that killer thermal, this can already give you an advantage I
guess.