Project number
25031
Organization
Elbit Systems of America
Offering
ENGR498-F2024-S2025
Reconnaissance is a key part of situational awareness and improves strategic decision-making. Elbit Systems of America (ESA) – a provider of tools for defense, aviation, and medical instruments – tasked the team with designing DORC. It will use visible and NIR laser technology to illuminate and capture video feeds of targets up to 500 m away. It must also be able to operate during twilight and low-light settings and resist basic outdoor operational conditions such as high temperatures and dust. The overall goal is to create a device that can serve as test equipment for ESA’s development of future electro-optic devices.
The team designed DORC with four subsystems: optical, mechanical, electrical and software. DORC can project visible or NIR light onto the target depending on the powered laser diode. A sensor then captures the target and sends the information to a Raspberry Pi for processing and display. A handheld 3D-printed shroud that can be mounted on a standard tripod houses these subsystems. This allows a user to control light output and camera field of view. The DORC can run for six hours on battery or indefinitely on wall power.
The team designed DORC with four subsystems: optical, mechanical, electrical and software. DORC can project visible or NIR light onto the target depending on the powered laser diode. A sensor then captures the target and sends the information to a Raspberry Pi for processing and display. A handheld 3D-printed shroud that can be mounted on a standard tripod houses these subsystems. This allows a user to control light output and camera field of view. The DORC can run for six hours on battery or indefinitely on wall power.