Artificial guide stars for adaptive optics using unmanned aerial vehicles

TL;DR

This paper proposes using rotary unmanned aerial vehicles as mobile artificial guide stars to enhance adaptive optics performance, potentially doubling the Strehl ratio for large telescopes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel UAV-based method for creating artificial guide stars, addressing sky coverage limitations in adaptive optics systems.

Findings

Can improve Strehl ratio by at least 2 for 8m class telescopes

Demonstrates UAVs as feasible platforms for artificial guide stars

Applicable to both astronomical and solar adaptive optics

Abstract

Astronomical adaptive optics systems are used to increase effective telescope resolution. However, they cannot be used to observe the whole sky since one or more natural guide stars of sufficient brightness must be found within the telescope field of view for the AO system to work. Even when laser guide stars are used, natural guide stars are still required to provide a constant position reference. Here, we introduce a technique to overcome this problem by using rotary unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a platform from which to produce artificial guide stars. We describe the concept, which relies on the UAV being able to measure its precise relative position. We investigate the adaptive optics performance improvements that can be achieved, which in the cases presented here can improve the Strehl ratio by a factor of at least 2 for a 8~m class telescope. We also discuss improvements to this technique, which is relevant to both astronomical and solar adaptive optics systems.