When upgrading or refurbishing a tracking system, and for all the new tracking systems we sell, Vision Engineering Solutions uses its own Precision Mount Control System. It is a universal gimbal control interface for tracking mounts. This flexible and adaptable interface provides state-of-the-art pointing and tracking capabilities, including: manual and automatic guiding, remote control, motion stabilization, video tracking, and a highly configurable control interface.
The knob and footswitch interface that PMCS employs eliminates the shortcomings of joysticks. These knobs are programmable and can be used to control position and velocity for both manual and automated tracking modes. Two programmable foot switches are available to quickly switch between tracking modes. This approach to the user interface is a product from Vision’s experience on Department of Defense test ranges, and it greatly enhances the ability to track challenging targets.
Besides PMCS being able to utilize external drive inputs from radar and telemetry, it can also utilize inputs from video trackers and external computers. It also has internal drive modes for tracking dynamic objects such as vehicles, watercraft, aircraft, stars, planets, and satellites.
The system also has built-in calibration for gimbals and sensors, which allows these systems to reference target positions in absolute geodetic coordinates, such as latitude, longitude, and altitude. Add-on features for PMCS include: integrated video recording and tracking; motion stabilization and inertial referencing; and an integrated training system providing true hardware in the loop training.
Features
Calibration and Configuration
- Remote control interface
- State-of-the-Art user interfaces
- Controllable via GUI or hardware control panel
- A wide variety of manual or automated tracking modes
- Adaptable to a large range of makes and models of gimbals
- Custom electronics to increase reliability and speed
- Allows user calibration of servo drive
- Built-in star calibration
- Video tracker interface
- Built-in safety features
Footswitch Drive Control
PMCS provides 2 programmable footswitches (see dialog above). These footswitches can be used to augment user control of mode and switch between modes.
Knob Drive Control
PMCS provides complete user access to hardware
- Built-in star calibration for gimbal and sensor models
- User calibration of servo drive via intuitive interface
- Configurable position and velocity safety limits
- Intuitive setup for hardware controls: foot switches, knobs, control panel, etc.
Automatic Drive Modes
PMCS provides a comprehensive set of automated drive modes. Automated drive modes can be combined with manual controls for finer control of the gimbal motion.
- Geodetic: latitude, longitude, altitude
- Star: with user definable catalogs
- Planet: with user definable catalogs
- Satellite: using Simplified Perturbation Models (SGP)
- Trajectory: user supplied 3-DOF data
- Video Tracker: used output from video tracker via Ethernet interface
- Remote Drive: Control of gimbal via remote computer using Ethernet
- Static: Save and reuse known azimuth and elevation reference points
PMCS provides 4 programmable knobs on the hardware control panel (see figure on opposite page). We have found that knobs are far superior to joysticks for fine control of gimbals. The two large knobs are for fine control of azimuth and elevation. They have programmable sensitivity and can be use in position or rate mode. The smaller knob (TB) provides for fine control for time biasing (TB) of trajectory based modes. The AUX knob is for remote drive mode control.
Available Options
- Video: tracker, recorder and analysis solutions
- MIL_SPEC shock, vibration, and EMI options
- Motion stabilization and inertial referencing
- Custom user controls: gamepads, joysticks, etc.
- Custom Integration with user’s gimbal
- Custom drive modes
- Integrated training system: true hardware-in-the-loop training system using actual hardware
Adaptability
- DC or AC servo motor interface
- Serial, parallel or Ethernet interface to most popular brands of position encoders
- Mission-adaptable external inputs: radar, telemetry, or external computer control
- Multiple user interface options: GUI, control panel, joystick or gamepad
- Ethernet broadcast data provides real-time feedback to external systems
- Multiple drive modes: geodetic, star (sidereal), planet, trajectory, satellite, video, and remote
- Multiple hardware configurations: foot switches, knobs, safety limits, amongst others
Vision Engineering Solutions, LLC is an award-winning team of experienced professionals providing advanced sensing solutions for defense, aerospace, and industrial applications.
Get in touch
3710 N Courtenay Pkwy, Suite 102
Merritt Island, FL 32953
USA
321.233.9933