Inertially stabilized platforms for optical imaging systems

Optical imaging sensors, such as television or infrared cameras, collect information about targets or target regions. It is thus necessary to control the sensor's line-of-sight (LOS) to achieve accurate pointing. Maintaining sensor orientation toward a target is particularly challenging when the imaging sensor is carried on a mobile vehicle or when the target is highly dynamic. Controlling an optical sensor LOS with an inertially stabilized platform (ISP) can meet these challenges.A target tracker is a process, typically involving image processing techniques, for detecting targets in optical imagery. This article describes the use and design of ISPs and target trackers for imaging optical sensors.