Aircraft to ground unidirectional laser-communications terminal for high-resolution sensors

Real-time monitoring allows new possibilities in applications like disaster management or traffic observation and guidance. The German Aerospace Center is currently developing an aircraft based observation system. Among other sensors a high resolution camera platform together with an optical downlink terminal is an integral part of the system. The optical terminal was tested in the first stage of expansion in November and December 2008. At distances up to 85 km the achieved mean tracking offset with pure CPA tracking was 266 μrad. Initial communication tests have been successfully performed up to a distance of 40 km.