Conclusions and Future
Considerations
An overview of FMCW LADAR technology has been pro-
vided together with direct comparisons to a traditional
linear-mode, pulsed laser scanning system. In side-by-
side testing, FMCW technology performed superior to
the pulsed, linear-mode method in several areas:
•
range resolution,
•
Doppler detection of moving targets, and
•
improved detection at longer ranges.
However, two very important short-comings with the
FMCW technology needs to be addressed and improved.
First, the scan acquisition time can take several times
longer than a pulsed system. Second, the FMCW system
relies on a fairly large processing unit which increas-
es the size, weight, and power (SWAP) requirements
of such a system. As FMCW technology emerges as an
important option to linear mode laser scanners these
issues must be addressed. Without doubt, the pace of
micro-computer processing and shrinking of optical en-
gineering components will help address this. Finally,
miniaturization and optimization of the signal process-
ing unit using field programmable gate arrays - FPGAs
(or similar) should help to reduce the SWAP of future
FMCW systems.
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Authors
John Anderson
, US Army Geospatial Research Lab-
oratory, 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, Virginia
22060.
Richard Massaro
, US Army Geospatial Research Lab-
oratory, 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, Virginia
22060.
James Curry
, Blackmore Sensors and Analytics, 3991
Valley Commons Dr., Bozeman, MT 59718.
Randy Reibel
, Blackmore Sensors and Analytics, 3991
Valley Commons Dr., Bozeman, MT 59718.
Jean Nelson
, US Army Geospatial Research Labora-
tory, 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22060.
Jarrod Edwards
, US Army Geospatial Research Lab-
oratory, 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, Virginia
22060.
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