AIRIS the Canadian Hyperspectral Imager

The Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) Agency has successfully completed a Technical Demonstration Program (TDP) to assess the "Military Utility of Airborne Hyperspectral Imagery". This required developing a sensor, the Airborne Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AIRIS), and collecting in-flight imagery data. The AIRIS instrument was designed with flexibility and modularity in mind, allowing the study of a wide range of applications. AIRIS simultaneously operates two 8x8 element detector arrays to cover the 2.0 to 12 micron region of the electromagnetic spectrum. It also simultaneously collects broadband video imagery from the visible to the long wave IR. AIRIS was mounted in National Research Council's (NRC) Convair 580 aircraft. A series of three data collection flight tests were conducted in the summer of 2005. The first test collected phenomenological data over rural, suburban and urban areas. The second test used several targets of different types (a mix of hot and ambient temperature targets, as well as some industrial sites). The last flight collected phenomenological data over the Atlantic ocean. Data analysis showed that sub-pixel targets can be detected and identified from their spectral features. Over the next three years, a real-time processing capability will be added to AIRIS, making its data directly exploitable for Canadian Forces applications.