Airborne laser Doppler velocimeter.
A CO(2) laser Doppler detection system has been developed to measure remotely the true airspeed of an aircraft. The system uses a 50-W sealed-off CO(2) laser in a homodyne detection system employing a collinear optical telescope, a HgCdTe detector, and a frequency tracking loop. The system was successfully flight tested on a NASA Convair 990 research aircraft during December 1971 and June 1972. The results indicate that an airspeed measurement under clear weather conditions is feasible up to an altitude of 3000 m with an error of less than 0.5%.
R M
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Muñioz
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Mocker
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Koehler