Enhancing image quality based on characteristics of a reference region of interest

A method comprising:

• capturing images by an imaging sensor mounted on an aircraft at a fixed position and orientation with respect to the aircraft, a predetermined portion of the aircraft appearing as a reference image region at a fixed location across the images captured by the imaging sensor, the reference image region having visual characteristics known to a processor communicatively coupled to the imaging sensor;
• and
• receiving, by the processor, a first image signal captured by the imaging sensor, the first image signal corresponding to a first image that includes the reference image region;
• determining, by the processor, a first image parameter value of the reference image region in the first image, the first image parameter value corresponding to an image parameter and representing a visual characteristic of the reference image region in the first image signal;
• determining, by the processor, an adjustment to the image parameter, based on the first image parameter value, for modifying the first image or a subsequent image;
• and
• causing, by the processor, a second image signal, captured by the imaging sensor subsequent to the first image signal, to be modified using the adjustment to the image parameter, and to cause the reference image region in a second image corresponding to the second image signal to have a second image parameter value different from the first image parameter value, wherein responsive to a potential target image region corresponding to a second aircraft having a third image parameter value similar to the first image parameter value of the reference image region, modifying the second image signal improves visibility of the second aircraft in the second image.