Objective:
The Department of Defense (DoD) owns millions of acres of
land with unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination. To make
cost-effective decisions about land remediation and reuse,
accurate characterization of these sites is necessary. This
ESTCP project evaluated the multi-use application of the Remote
Mine Field Detection System (REMIDS), a helicopter-mounted
sensing and processing system. Originally designed for airborne
minefield detection, REMIDS can be used as a tool for detecting
surface UXO. This detection is based on the remote identification
of surface anomalies and materials that indicate the presence
of explosive ordnance contamination.
The system - flown in a UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter - consists
of an active/passive line scanner, real-time processing and
display equipment, and navigational equipment. The scanner
collects optically aligned image data over three channels:
two active laser channels (one polarized reflectance, one
total reflectance) and a passive thermal infrared channel.
The real-time processing and display system makes use of a
parallel processor and incorporates onboard recording and
a Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS recorder allows
the exact location of contaminated areas to be input into
Geographical Information System software that maps the facility.
Test flights evaluated the hardware and software performance
and took place over UXO test sites at Fort Rucker, Alabama,
and Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.
Results:
The test flights and recorded data were used to evaluate
the capabilities of the system. The overall performance of
the hardware was good. Independent evaluation showed the flight
data was correctly recorded and the targets cued. Also, the
GPS data was correctly recorded and integrated into the flight
data. Overall, REMIDS was very successful in detecting the
surface UXOs at the test site.
Benefits:
The use of remote detection reduces the risk to personnel
during UXO detection and location operations. The airborne
system also expedites these operations, allowing future remediation
activity to be implemented promptly. The cleanup of military
ranges, formerly used defense sites, ammunition disposal sites,
and other UXO-contaminated areas will help avoid the loss
of human life due to UXO accidents. (Project Completed - 1999)
Implications:
The results of this demonstration show that REMIDS is a promising
technology ready for technology transfer.
References:
