Specialised Imaging has extended the capabilities of its SI Trajectory Tracker for tracking projectiles with unpredictable flight behaviours.
Tracking the flight trajectory of a non-linear projectile behaviour, such as when a rocket motor is involved, is complex. Specialised Imaging has developed a Multiple Trigger Unit (MTU) for its SI Trajectory Tracker system. The Accutrack MTU can handle up to four individual Trajectory Tracker modules each with eight input triggers. The system has been designed to simplify setup.
Sensors are positioned along the line of flight and distances between sensors are entered into the software. The embedded onboard processor automatically calculates the angles to the sensors, position of the SI Trajectory Tracker scanning mirror, and then synchronises the mirror to the position of the projectile. Real-time tracking of projectiles, rocket sleds and unpredictable projectiles is now a reality.
The SI Trajectory Tracker is a next generation video tracking system offering high performance and ease of deployment on a sturdy, fully adjustable mount. The system provides consistent and accurate tracking of objects in flight using a computer controlled triggered rotating mirror positioned in front of a high-speed digital video camera.
In order to fully evaluate failure modes of high-speed objects, it is often necessary to observe their performance over a significant proportion of the trajectory. The SI Trajectory Tracker allows observations to be made of in flight behaviour of high-speed objects over more than 100m with a tracking accuracy of better than 0.2 degrees over its full scan. The resulting slow motion record of an object in flight allows accurate diagnosis of events such as fin deployment, motor burn time, pitch, yaw and spin rate.
