Do it yourself hyperspectral imager for handheld to airborne operations

Opt Express. 2018 Mar 5;26(5):6021-6035. doi: 10.1364/OE.26.006021.

Abstract

This study describes rapid prototype construction of small and lightweight push broom Hyper Spectral Imagers (HSI). The dispersive element housings are printed by a thermoplastic 3D printer combined with S-mount optical components and commercial off-the-shelf camera heads. Four models with a mass less than 200 g are presented with a spectral range in the visible to the near-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The bandpass is in the range from 1.4 - 5 nm. Three test experiments with motorized gimbals to stabilize attitude show that the instruments are capable of push broom spectral imaging from various platforms, including airborne drone to handheld operations.