EXPERIMENTAL-DETERMINATION OF THE USEFUL REFLECTION COEFFICIENT OF NONCOOPERATIVE TARGETS FOR A TIME-OF-FLIGHT LASER RANGEFINDER

An experimental verification of the reflection properties of non-cooperative targets for a time-of-night laser rangefinder is proposed. Indeed, knowing the light scattering physical properties of usual targets is necessary to determine the optical power budget of such a device. The useful reflection coefficient (RC) is contained at between 0.6 and 0.7 at the wavelength lambda (=820 nm), polar diagrams presenting almost a lambertian shape for incident angles lower than 60 degrees. The useful RC thus corresponds to the value of the lambertian RC increased by the contribution of the specular RC.