Using a targeting metric to predict the utility of an EO imager as a pilotage aid

摘要

Army aviators use both image intensified goggles and thermal imagers as night vision aids when flying helicopters at night. The Targeting Task Performance (TTP) metric can be used to predict how well these imagers support the pilotage task under different illumination and thermal contrast conditions. The TTP metric predicts the field performance of the Aviator's Night Vision Imaging System, the Apache Helicopter Pilot's Night Vision System, and the Advanced Helicopter Pilotage system. These three systems represent diverse technologies: image intensified goggles, a first generation thermal imager, and a second-generation thermal imager. The ability of the TTP metric to predict the behavior of these diverse systems is evidence of its suitability as a pilotage metric. This paper discusses the application of the TTP metric to helicopter pilotage. Data from field surveys of Army aviators are used to validate the use of the TTP metric to predict pilotage system performance. Since knowledge of scene contrast is necessary to make sensor design trades using the TTP metric, a discussion of the terrain thermal contrast available in the mid-wave and long-wave infrared is also provided.