Instrument Design for the Pegasus Hale Uav Payload

In 2000, VITO initiated the Pegasus project to demonstrate the feasibility of remote sensing from a HALE UAV. Ultimately the HALE UAV platform will be equipped with a variety of light weight high resolution remote sensing instruments. The synergy of the onboard sensors thus allows continuous observations, irrespective of light or weather conditions. In a first phase a multi-spectral digital camera will be developed and embarked on the solar-powered Mercator1 platform. The payload will also contain a GPS receiver and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for position and attitude determination of the camera at the instant of exposure. A direct downlink will allow near-real time data delivery to the user. The study, described in this paper, investigates the feasibility of the top-level requirements of the multi-spectral camera under the strict physical and environmental constraints of the Mercator1 platform flying at 18 km altitude.