Based on the instability problem of target tracking performance in the optical tracking imaging system of field operations, this article researches the target tracking capture rate. The target tracking platform is established with target imaging radiation characteristics and target movement features and target optical properties are researched with photometry knowledge. According to target detection range, target size, environmental illumination and area array CCD imaging characteristics, the calculation model of target tracking capture rate is deduced and the factors that affecting the target capture rate are analyzed. By calculation and experimental analysis, the target capture rate decreases when the detection range increases and the target capture rate increases when the target size is larger. The target gray value is relatively stable when the weather is sunny and target images captured by CCD are given when the target size is
5.56× 45 normalmnormalm. The optical imaging system can work day and night and the target capture rate can get 95% with the laser strobe auxiliary illumination technology. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2672–2677, 2016