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Near-Space Wide-Area and High-Resolution Imaging System Design and Implementation.
Zhanchao Wang1,2, Min Huang1,2,3, Lulu Qian1,2,3
1Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 29, 2023
Summary
High-altitude balloons enable wide-area, high-resolution surveillance in near-space. This study developed a camera system with a CMOS sensor and zoom lens for seamless image stitching and flexible imaging applications.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Aerospace Engineering
- Remote Sensing
Background:
- Near-space offers optimal conditions for optical observation due to minimal atmospheric interference.
- High-altitude platforms, such as balloons, are ideal for wide-area and high-resolution surveillance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a high-resolution imaging system for near-space surveillance using a high-altitude balloon platform.
- To achieve flexible imaging capabilities, including large field-of-view and high-resolution, for diverse scenarios.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a 9344 × 7000 CMOS sensor for image acquisition.
- Implemented swing scanning of a photoelectric sphere and image stitching for large-field-of-view imaging.
- Designed a zoom lens system with a focal length range of 320 mm-106.7 mm.
Main Results:
- The camera system demonstrated good imaging quality with relative distortion values below 2% across the focal length range.
- Achieved seamless image stitching at a resolution of 0.2 m at 20 km altitude.
- The imaging field of view angle exceeded 33°.
Conclusions:
- The developed near-space imaging system is effective for high-resolution surveillance.
- Future experiments will focus on verifying ultra-wide (field of view > 100°) high-resolution imaging capabilities.
