Imaging lidar transmitter downlink for command guidance of underwater vehicle

A method of removing navigational hazards in the water comprising the steps of:

• releasing a discrete maneuverable vehicle into a body of water from a platform, the vehicle including explosive means for detonating said vehicle at a selected navigational hazard;
• using imaging sensor means positioned on said platform to obtain an image of said released vehicle and a selected navigational hazard;
• controlling the direction of movement of said vehicle from said platform based on image input from said imaging sensor means wherein said vehicle is directed through communications means to a vicinity at or near the selected navigational hazard and wherein said explosive means is detonated to remove said navigational hazard;
• and
• using optical lidar downlink means to direct said vehicle movement;
• wherein said communication means includes optical command pulse decoding means and wherein said optical command pulse decoding means comprises;
• (1) photodetector means for receiving said optical transmission and converting said optical transmission to electrical command signals;
• and
• (2) frequency to voltage conversion means for receiving said electrical command signals and converting said electrical command signals to navigational instructions.

An apparatus for removing navigational hazards in the water comprising:

• a discrete maneuverable vehicle releasable into a body of water from a platform, the vehicle including explosive means for detonating said vehicle at a selected navigational hazard;
• imaging lidar sensor means positioned on said platform to obtain an image of said released vehicle and a selected navigational hazard, wherein said imaging lidar sensor means comprises;
• means for selectively generating imaging pulses of light using transmitter means;
• means for projecting said short pulses of light toward water and at a navigational hazard disposed in a target volume at least partially enveloped by the water;
• gated camera means for receiving said pulses of light reflected back from said target volume after a time delay corresponding to the round-trip propagation time of said light pulses to and from said target volume using receiver means;
• means for converting said received pulses of light to a video image of said navigational hazard in said target volume;
• and
• optical lidar downlink means for controlling the direction of movement of said vehicle from said platform based on image input from said imaging sensor means wherein said vehicle is directed to a vicinity at or near the selected navigational hazard and wherein said explosive means is detonated to remove said navigational hazard.