The Effect of Scene Rotation on Target Acquisition

Abstract

Studies were performed t o determine t h e e f f e c t s of scene r o t a t i o n on t a r g e t a c q u i s i t i o n performance. Video t a p e s of simulated s t r a i g h t approaches t o s u r f a c e v e h i c u l a r t a r g e t s were made a t constant o f f s e t , a l t i t u d e , and speed using a t e r r a i n t a b l e (600:l) and a gimbal mounted TV camera. Detection and (separate) r e c o g n i t i o n tests were then made under load (button-pushing) and no-load conditions. t h e r o t a t e d ( r o l l -p i t c h ) and non-rotated (yaw-pi tch gimbal order) Conditions o r between t h e load/ no-load conditions. and e r r o r s c o r e s f o r gimbal o r d e r b u t again not between load/no-load conditions. t h a t t h e sensor l i n e of s i g h t should be s t a b i l i z e d o r d e r o l l e d i f maximum r e c o g n i t i o n performance is t o b e r e a l i z e d using a i r b o r n e e l e c t r o -o p t i c a l systems in ground t a r g e t a c q u i s i t i o n .No d i f f e r e n c e s i n d e t e c t i o n s l a n t range and erroneous d e t e c t i o n s were found between S t a t i s t i c a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s were found between t h e r e c o g n i t i o n ranges It was concluded