THE PROBABILITY OF VISUAL DETECTION OF RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT BY GROUND OBSERVERS,

Abstract

An investigation was made of the ability of ground observers, unaided by optical or electronic devices, to detect visually each of six reconnaissance aircraft. Calculations are made for a variety of conditions, in altitudes, speeds, and visibilities. Among several conclusions are: (1) the probability of visual detection falls off rapidly as aircraft altitude is decreased below 2000 ft; (2) increasing speed is an effective way to reduce detectability; (3) contrast is a critical factor in determining detectability but is difficult to predict or control. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1965
Accession Number
AD0619033

Entities

People

  • D. J. Dugas

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Altitude
  • Contrast
  • Detection
  • Military Operations
  • Observers
  • Probability
  • Reconnaissance
  • Reconnaissance Aircraft
  • Visibility

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
  • Radar Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics