Passive obstacle detection system (PODS) for wire detection

Abstract

Boeing has developed algorithms and processing to detect power lines and cables in passive imagery from a wide variety of different sources. The algorithm has been demonstrated with imagery from visible, medium and long wave infra-red (MWIR and LWIR), and Passive MilliMeter Wave (PMMW) sensors. Flight demonstrations of the real-time system have been performed with both visible and LWIR image sensors. In the flight demonstrations, an LWIR image sensor was used for both day and night detection in both rural and urban settings with detection ranges in excess of 15,000'. The processing system is capable of processing image sizes up to 1024x1024 pixels at 30 frames per second.

Applications and challenges for MMW and THz sensors

“…As a result, very small pixel fill factors are detectable. These pixel fill factors can be smaller than 5% for 2D imagery [21] and significantly less than 1% for 3D imagery [22].…”