A system overview of a small form factor free space optical communication prototype

Free-space optical communication (FSO) enables high-bandwidth data links that are difficult to detect, intercept, and jam. In this paper we provide an overview of a small form factor FSO prototype intended for UAVs called OCELOT (Optical Communication Efficient Low-profile Terminal). NRL designed, developed, and tested an OCELOT prototype, and demonstrated a 1 Gbps duplex link 16 km across the Chesapeake Bay. We will discuss the design decisions and tradeoffs, highlighting the low-SWaP FSO technologies used in the prototype.