Optical surveillance system for detecting airborne objects and method for detecting airborne objects

A method for detecting airborne objects comprising:

• recording image data of an area of interest, wherein the image data comprises a plurality of concurrent images associated with at least two states of polarization;
• aligning the plurality of concurrent images with respect to the area of interest;
• determining a pixel-intensity for each of a plurality of pixels within the plurality of concurrent images;
• calculating a plurality of differential pixel intensities between at least one of the plurality of concurrent images associated with a first polarization state and at least one of the plurality of concurrent images associated with a second polarization state;
• determining a plurality of pixel clusters associated the plurality of differential pixel intensities exceeding an airborne object threshold, wherein the airborne object threshold is relative to the underlying scene;
• and
• identifying the plurality of concurrent images associated with the plurality of pixel clusters exceeding the airborne object threshold.

An imaging system for detecting airborne objects, the system comprising:

• a plurality of cameras having at least two states of polarization configured to record image data of an area of interest, wherein at least one of the plurality of cameras is an event-based neuromorphic imager configured to transmit information associated with pixels that have changed;
• an image processing unit, configured to
• receive and store image data comprising a plurality of concurrent images associated with the at least two states of polarization,
• align the plurality of concurrent images with respect to the area of interest,
• determine a pixel-intensity for each of a plurality of pixels within the plurality of concurrent images,
• calculate a plurality of differential pixel intensities between at least one of the plurality of concurrent images associated with a first polarization state and at least one of the plurality of concurrent images associated with a second polarization state,
• determine a plurality of pixel clusters associated the plurality of differential pixel intensities exceeding an airborne object threshold, wherein the airborne object threshold is relative to the underlying scene, and
• identify the plurality of concurrent images associated with the plurality of pixel clusters exceeding the airborne object threshold.