Combined multi-spectral and polarization sensor

A combined multi-spectral and polarization (CMSP) sensor comprising:

• a multi-spectral and polarization (MSP) filter comprising
• at least:
• a first bandpass filter having a first frequency range;
• a second bandpass filter having a second frequency range that is distinct from the first frequency range;
• a first polarization filter having a first polarization value;
• and
• a second polarization filter having a second polarization value that is distinct from the first polarization value;
• a single focal plane array (FPA) comprising a plurality of detectors;
• and
• a controller in signal communication with the MSP filter and the single FPA, the controller configured to:
• initiate capture of a first image of a scene while a particular portion of the scene has a first alignment with a first detector of the single FPA and the first bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the first detector;
• in response to determining that the particular portion of the scene has a second alignment with a second detector of the single FPA, the second alignment substantially matching the first alignment, and that the second bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the second detector, initiate storage of a second image of the scene, the second image captured while the particular portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector;
• in response to determining that the particular portion of the scene has a third alignment with a third detector of the single FPA, the third alignment substantially matching the first alignment, and that the first polarization filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the third detector, initiate storage of a third image of the scene, the third image captured while the particular portion of the scene has the third alignment with the third detector ;
• and
• generate a multi-spectral and polarization composite image using at least the first image, the second image, and third image, wherein the first image, the second image, and third image are co-added to build the multi-spectral and polarization composite image as a hypercube image, wherein co-adding the first image, the second image, and third image increases a contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the multi-spectral and polarization composite image.

A method of capturing image data, the method comprising:

• capturing, with a combined multi-spectral and polarization (CMSP) sensor, a first image of a scene while a particular portion of the scene has a first alignment with a first detector of a single focal plane array (FPA) and a first bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the first detector;
• in response to determining that the particular portion of the scene has a second alignment with a second detector of the single FPA, the second alignment substantially matching the first alignment, and that the second bandpass filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the second detector, initiate storage of a second image of the scene, the second image captured while the particular portion of the scene has the second alignment with the second detector;
• in response to determining that the particular portion of the scene has a third alignment with a third detector of the single FPA, the third alignment substantially matching the first alignment, and that the first polarization filter is between the particular portion of the scene and the third detector, initiate storage of a third image of the scene, the third image captured while the particular portion of the scene has the third alignment with the third detector;
• and
• generate a multi-spectral and polarization composite image using at least the first image, the second image, and third image, wherein the first image, the second image, and third image are co-added to build the multi-spectral and polarization composite image as a hypercube image, wherein co-adding the first image, the second image, and third image increases a contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the multi-spectral and polarization composite image .