Imaging sensors may be used for imaging objects in applications such as airborne imaging. The size and resolution of imaging sensors often depends on the wavelength range of radiation which may be detected by detectors of the imaging sensors. For example, imaging sensors for visible light are known to provide higher resolution, e.g. ultra HD 4K, in a single low size, weight, power, and cost (SWAP-C) package. Radiation wavelength detection bands other than visible often cannot match visible wavelengths for high resolution and low SWAP-C.
Uncooled long wave infrared (LWIR) sensors (sensitive to infrared radiation in the wavelength range of 8-14 μm), for example, have not gotten beyond XGA resolution (1024×768). Moreover, VGA resolution (640×480) for uncooled LWIR sensors is significantly less expensive on a per pixel cost basis.
Infrared sensors may be arranged in a configuration where the sensors have a plurality of cameras arranged in a mosaic, and each camera provides an image. Such sensors are arranged such that the field of views (FOVs) of the cameras may overlap, but the center optical axes of the cameras do not intersect. Each of the cameras has its separate window from which it receives IR light to be imaged onto a detector of the camera. Such an arrangement is known as a butted field of view mosaic.