This project's primary objective is the design, development and field performance characteristics of an advanced next generation airborne coastal mapping and charting system. Intended to maintain accurate hydrographic depth measurement, CZMIL will significantly improve spatial resolution, target detection performance, and increase the capability for reliability and accuracy of bottom reflection through data fusion with other sensors' data and do so over a wider range of water conditions. To accomplish the above, the development of algorithms necessary to quantify the characterization of the water column will lead to additional knowledge of derivative water column parameters that are not presently available. The proposed effort is a multi-year development that will result in the delivery of a new and significantly more capable airborne regional coastal measurement tool by year five followed by system characterization studies and workforce training in year six.
