Device for aiming at a target

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for aiming at a target (C), comprising: - a reference assembly comprising a reference laser having intensity variations of a known period; - an additional assembly (12A) comprising an additional laser having intensity variations of a known period temporally offset from those of the reference laser; - a tracking assembly (14) comprising: • a camera (30) capable of acquiring images of the target (C) and of the spots of the lasers on the target (C); • a main processing unit (32) capable of: ○ identifying the spots of the reference and additional lasers according to known time signatures; ○ generating a control setpoint according to the images and the identification; and • an actuation unit (34) capable of modifying the orientation of the line of sight of the reference and additional assemblies (12A) according to the control setpoint.

Description

[0001] TITLE: Target pointing device

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for pointing a target.

[0003] In particular, the pointing is a fine pointing carried out by several power lasers. In particular, the power lasers, as well as the associated visualization devices, are generally carried by a respective (motorized) structure allowing pre-pointing to be carried out. The invention thus relates to the ability to position several lasers at the same location on a target at a long distance.

[0004] Traditionally, to position several lasers at the same location on a target, it is necessary to integrate, on the optical path of each of the lasers, a camera which will create a servo loop on the direction of the line of sight.

[0005] This therefore requires as many cameras as lasers and relatively complex optics with issues, in particular, regarding the compatibility between the spectral band of the camera and the effects linked to turbulence on the laser.

[0006] One possibility to overcome this constraint is to fix the laser's line of sight to the center of the camera field and to position the center of the camera field on the point that we want to illuminate. We then assume that turbulence does not modify the position of the laser relative to the center of the camera field.

[0007] However, this implies a limitation that is difficult to circumvent, namely that in general, the target point will be close to the barycenter of the target to be sure of illuminating the latter.

[0008] There is therefore a need for a simpler pointing device to implement, allowing the superimposition of an energy flow from several lasers on a precise area of ​​a target during tracking using a camera and for a sufficient duration to allow the destruction of the target.

[0009] To this end, the invention relates to a device for pointing a target comprising:

[0010] - a reference pointing assembly comprising a reference laser, the reference laser having intensity variations of known period forming a known time signature for the reference laser,

[0011] - at least one additional pointing assembly comprising an additional laser, each additional pointing assembly having a line of sight different from the reference pointing assembly and any other additional pointing assemblies, each additional laser having intensity variations of known period which are temporally offset from those of the reference laser and those of any other additional lasers by a known temporal offset so as to define a known temporal signature for each additional laser, - a tracking assembly comprising:

[0012] • a tracking camera capable of acquiring images of the target and the task of the reference laser and of each additional laser on the target, the tracking camera having a line of sight different from the line of sight of the reference pointing assembly and of each additional pointing assembly,

[0013] • a main processing unit capable of: o identifying the tasks of the reference laser and of each additional laser on the images acquired by the tracking camera based on the known time signatures of the reference laser and of each additional laser, o generating a control instruction based on the acquired images and the identification carried out so as to carry out control of the task of the reference laser and of each additional laser on the target, and

[0014] • a main actuation unit capable of modifying the orientation of the line of sight of the reference pointing assembly and of each additional pointing assembly according to the servo control instruction.

[0015] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the pointing device comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations:

[0016] - the reference laser and the additional laser(s) are continuous or quasi-continuous power lasers;

[0017] - the variations in intensity of the reference laser and of the additional laser(s) are periodic extinctions of the signal emitted by said lasers;

[0018] - the reference laser and the additional laser(s) are pulsed beacon lasers, the reference pointing assembly and each additional pointing assembly further comprising a power laser on the same line of sight as the respective reference laser or additional laser of said pointing assembly;

[0019] - each power laser is capable of being activated only when the task of the corresponding beacon laser on the target is controlled;

[0020] - the tracking camera is an event detection camera capable of detecting variations in the intensity of the reference laser and each additional laser;

[0021] - the tracking camera is a camera having an acquisition rate greater than the inverse of the smallest time shift of the additional laser(s);

[0022] - the reference laser and each additional laser emit on the same wavelength band;

[0023] - the tracking assembly comprises an illumination laser capable of illuminating the target; - the device comprises, for each of the reference pointing assembly and the additional pointing assembly(s), a tracking initialization assembly comprising:

[0024] - an initialization camera having a common line of sight to the reference laser for the reference pointing assembly and respectively to the additional laser for the additional pointing assembly, the initialization camera being capable of acquiring images of the target, and

[0025] - an initialization unit capable of generating a superposition instruction as a function of the images acquired by the initialization camera to bring the target into a predetermined position in the field of vision of the initialization camera so that the line of sight of the reference laser or of the additional laser considered is positioned on the target, the main actuation unit being capable of modifying the orientation of the line of sight of the power laser as a function of the superposition instruction;

[0026] - the reference laser and each additional laser are capable of scanning around the target until the signal from said laser is observed on the tracking camera.

[0027] The invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0028] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 is an example of a schematic view of a pointing device comprising a reference pointing set, several additional pointing sets, a tracking set, and an initialization set for each pointing set,

[0029] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 is an example of a schematic view of each of the reference pointing assembly and the one or more additional pointing assemblies in an embodiment where the reference laser and each additional laser are power lasers,

[0030] [Fig. 3] Figure 3 is an example of a schematic view of details of each of the reference pointing assembly and the one or more additional pointing assemblies in an embodiment where the reference laser and each additional laser are beacon lasers, each coupled to a power laser,

[0031] [Fig. 4] Figure 4 is an example of a schematic view of the intensity variations of a reference laser and additional lasers, the intensity variations of each additional laser being time-shifted relative to the reference laser and relative to the other additional lasers, [Fig. 5] Figure 5 is an example of a schematic view of details of an initialization assembly,

[0032] [Fig. 6] Figure 6 is an example of a schematic view of the field of view of an initialization camera having a common line of sight with that of the reference laser or the corresponding additional laser, the target being off-center with respect to the line of sight of the initialization camera, and

[0033] [Fig. 7] Figure 7 is another schematic view of the field of view of the initialization camera of Figure 6, with the line of sight of the reference laser or the corresponding additional laser having been modified so that the target is in the center of the field of view of the initialization camera (laser spot brought back onto the target).

[0034] A device 10 for pointing a target C is illustrated in Figure 1.

[0035] Target C is, for example, a moving target moving in the air, on land, or at sea. Target C is, for example, an aircraft, a drone, a land vehicle or even a naval vessel.

[0036] As illustrated in Figure 1, the pointing device 10 comprises a reference pointing assembly 12R, at least one additional pointing assembly 12A and a tracking assembly 14. Optionally, the pointing device 10 also comprises an initialization assembly 16 for each of the reference pointing assembly 12R and the or each additional pointing assembly 12A.

[0037] The pointing device 10 is typically oriented in elevation and bearing.

[0038] The 12R reference pointing assembly includes a 20R reference laser. A laser is defined as a single laser or a combination of multiple lasers having a common line of sight.

[0039] As illustrated in Figure 4, the 20R reference laser exhibits intensity variations of known TR period forming a known time signature for the 20R reference laser.

[0040] The 12A add-on pointing kit includes an additional 20A laser.

[0041] Each additional pointing assembly 12A has a line of sight different from the reference pointing assembly 12R and any other additional pointing assemblies 12A. Thus, for example, the reference pointing assembly 12R and each of the additional pointing assemblies 12A are positioned on separate supporting structures (in FIG. 1, supporting structure 17R for the reference pointing assembly 12R and supporting structure 17A for each additional pointing assembly 12A). Alternatively, the reference and additional assemblies are positioned on the same supporting structure. As illustrated in FIG. 4, each additional laser 20A has intensity variations of known period T Ai which are temporally offset from those of the reference laser 20R and from those of any other additional lasers 20A by a known temporal offset Ai so as to define a known temporal signature for each additional laser 20A.

[0042] In one example, the time shifts of each additional laser 20A are increasing multiples of each other (identical time shift between two consecutive additional lasers 20A). Alternatively, the time shifts are only chosen so that the intensity variations of the additional lasers 20A do not overlap, the reference of each time shift being the reference laser 20R.

[0043] Preferably, the reference laser 20R and each additional laser 20A emit on the same wavelength band.

[0044] Preferably, apart from the time shift of the respective time variations, the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A are identical. Alternatively, the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A are different at least in power level but their wavelength band remains identical or close.

[0045] In an exemplary implementation illustrated by Figure 2, the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A are continuous or quasi-continuous power lasers. The term “quasi-continuous” implies that the emission time is greater than or equal to the energy reduction (or absence) time and that the emission times are several hundred milliseconds.

[0046] Preferably, in this example, the variations in intensity of the reference laser 20R and of the additional laser(s) 20A are periodic extinctions of the signal emitted by said lasers (in English “blanking”, translated into French as “erasure”).

[0047] Preferably, in this example, each of the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A is capable of delivering a high average power, typically greater than or equal to 1 kilowatt (kW).

[0048] Each of the 20R reference laser and the additional 20A laser(s) typically has a wavelength band between 0.5 micrometers (pm) and 2.5 pm.

[0049] In another exemplary implementation illustrated by FIG. 3, the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A are pulsed beacon lasers. Preferably, the beacon lasers of the different sets are identical.

[0050] In this case, the reference pointing assembly 12R and each additional pointing assembly 12A further comprises a power laser on the same line of sight as the reference laser 20R or the respective additional laser 20A of said pointing assembly. Each power laser is capable of being activated only when the task control of the corresponding beacon laser on the target C is achieved. Preferably, the power lasers of the different assemblies are identical.

[0051] Each power laser has a high average power, typically greater than or equal to 1 kilowatt (kW).

[0052] Each power laser typically has a wavelength band between 0.5 micrometers (pm) and 2.5 pm.

[0053] Preferably, the power lasers are identical.

[0054] The pulse rate of the beacon laser is high, typically a few kilohertz (kHz).

[0055] The beacon laser has a high peak power but an average power much lower than the average power of the power laser, its purpose being to ensure the tracking of target C by guaranteeing eye safety at target C. Typically, the average power of the beacon laser is less than or equal to a few W (e.g. 10 Watts).

[0056] The beacon laser preferably has a wavelength band that is the same or close to that of the power laser. The term "close" means a wavelength difference of less than or equal to 0.2 pm. For example, the power laser is at 1 pm and the beacon laser is at 0.9 pm.

[0057] The power laser and the beacon laser have a common line of sight. For example, the beacon laser can be injected into the fiber of the power laser or it can be combined with the power laser by means of a grating-type optical component. For example, the power laser and the beacon laser are carried by the same support structure (17A in the case of an additional 12A aiming assembly and 17R in the case of the 12R reference aiming assembly). In the case of beacon lasers, it is they who are aligned and time-shifted to be identified

[0058] The tracking assembly 14 is suitable for ensuring the relative tracking of the target C by the reference laser 20R and each of the additional lasers 20A.

[0059] The tracking assembly 14 comprises a tracking camera 30, a main processing unit 32 and a main actuation unit 34. Optionally, the tracking assembly 14 also comprises an illumination laser 36.

[0060] The tracking camera 30 is capable of acquiring images of the target C and of the task of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A on the target C (illuminated or not by the illumination laser 36). The tracking camera 30 has a line of sight different from the line of sight of the reference pointing assembly 12R and of each additional pointing assembly 12A. The tracking camera 30 is notably positioned outside the supporting structure 17R, 17A of the reference pointing assembly 12R and of each additional pointing assembly 12A. The tracking camera 30 being positioned outside, it is no longer hindered by the backscattering of the power laser of each assembly, nor by the obligation to be at a wavelength other than that of the power laser.

[0061] The tracking camera 30 is preferably a camera allowing at least an output rate of certain pixels at more than 5 kHz.

[0062] In an exemplary implementation, the tracking camera 30 is an event-based camera capable of detecting the intensity variations of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A. In particular, the time shifts between the intensity variations of the different lasers are chosen so that the events created are not simultaneous with those of the other lasers. The event camera will therefore observe temporal intensity variations which result in pixels which will turn on and off at known intervals.

[0063] Alternatively, the tracking camera 30 is a camera having an acquisition rate greater than the inverse of the smallest time shift Ai of the additional laser(s) 20A. In this case, the tracking camera 30 is configured to be triggered with the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A (possible use of a rangefinder).

[0064] In this variant, in the case where the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A are beacon lasers, several means of implementation, listed below and combinable with each other, can be implemented to image the task of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A on the target C:

[0065] In an exemplary implementation, the tracking camera 30 includes a spectral filter centered on a different spectral band than the power laser of each set. This allows the tracking camera 30 to not be dazzled by the power lasers. Preferably, the spectral filter of the tracking camera 30 is centered on the spectral band of the beacon lasers (e.g., beacon laser and spectral filter at 0.9 pm, and power laser at 1 pm).

[0066] In an exemplary implementation, the power laser is capable of periodically turning off during the emission period of the beacon laser. This prevents the tracking camera 30 from saturating. This phenomenon is called “blanking”. The extinction duration is, for example, a few tens of nanoseconds.

[0067] In an exemplary implementation, the tracking camera 30 is a camera having an opening time allowing the visualization of the task of the beacon laser without saturation by the power laser. The opening time is therefore sufficiently short to avoid saturation. In one example, telemetry is used to open the tracking camera 30 synchronously with the pulses of the retrodiff illumination laser 36 worn by the target C and the visualization of the task of the beacon laser 22 without saturation. o the opening duration is, for example, determined by means of a telemeter present on the structure supporting the carrier camera 30, and which measures the distance from the tracking camera 30 to the target C.

[0068] In this variant, in the case where the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A are power lasers, several means of implementation, listed below and combinable with each other, can be implemented to image the task of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A on the target C:

[0069] In an exemplary implementation, the tracking camera 30 is a camera having an opening time allowing the visualization of the task of the power laser without saturation by the power laser. The opening time is therefore sufficiently short to avoid saturation. In one example, telemetry is used to open the tracking camera 30 synchronously with the pulses of the retrodiff illumination laser 36 worn by the target C and the visualization of the task of the power laser 12 without saturation. o the opening duration is, for example, determined by means of a telemeter present on the structure supporting the carrier camera 30 and which measures the distance from the tracking camera 30 to the target C.

[0070] In an exemplary implementation, the power laser is capable of turning off periodically (in English "blanking") so as not to saturate the tracking camera 30. Preferably, the periodic turning offs of the power laser are synchronized with the emission rate of the illumination laser 36. A prior measurement of the distance then makes it possible to open the tracking detector appropriately.

[0071] The main processing unit 32 is capable of identifying the tasks of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A on the images acquired by the tracking camera 30 as a function of the known time signatures of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A. The time signatures have for this purpose, for example, been stored in a memory of the main processing unit 32, or in a database accessible by the main processing unit 32.

[0072] In the case of an event camera, the analysis can be carried out in various ways, such as using barycenters, the outline of each of the tasks, the totality of the detected pixels, etc. This can be done at very high speed due to the bandwidth of the event camera.

[0073] The main processing unit 32 is also capable of generating a control instruction based on the acquired images and the identification carried out so as to carry out control of the task of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A on the target C.

[0074] The main processing unit 32 is, for example, a computer.

[0075] The main actuation unit 34 is capable of modifying the orientation of the line of sight of the reference pointing assembly 12R and of each additional pointing assembly 12A as a function of the servo-control instruction. The main actuation unit 34 comprises, for example, a main actuator 38 on each line of sight. Each main actuator 38 is typically carried by the corresponding support structure 17R or 17A and is at the output of the power laser of this support structure. Each main actuator 38 comprises, for example, one or more optomechanical components.

[0076] The illumination laser 36 is suitable for illuminating the target C.

[0077] The illumination laser 36 is a pulsed laser. Preferably, when the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A are beacon lasers, the illumination laser 36 has the same emission rate as the beacon lasers and is synchronized with the beacon lasers, possibly slightly offset in time.

[0078] The illumination laser 36, the power lasers 20 and, where appropriate, the beacon lasers 22 have wavelengths compatible with observation by the tracking camera 30 (i.e., in the wavelength band of the tracking camera 30).

[0079] Each optional initialization assembly 16 is suitable for initializing the relative tracking of the task of the reference laser 20R or the additional laser 20A considered on the target C. In particular, each initialization assembly 16 is particularly useful in the case of small targets, to facilitate the superposition of the task of the reference laser 20R or the additional laser 20A considered on the target C at startup. Each initialization assembly 16 is typically carried by the supporting structure 17R, 17A of the pointing assembly considered. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the initialization assembly 16 comprises an initialization camera 40 and an initialization unit 42.

[0080] The initialization camera 40 operates in a spectral band different from that of the power laser of the assembly considered and is capable of acquiring images of the target C.

[0081] The initialization camera 40 has a common line of sight to the reference laser 20R for the reference pointing assembly 12R and to the additional laser 20A for the additional pointing assembly 12A (factory setting). Thus, the task formed by the reference laser 20R or by the additional laser 20A considered is approximately (subject to turbulence effects) at the center of the field of vision of the initialization camera 40. The use of the initialization camera 40 aims to bring the target C back to a predetermined position in the field of vision of the initialization camera 40 before starting the fine pointing.

[0082] For example, the line of sight of the initialization camera 40 is brought back to that of the reference laser 20R or the corresponding additional laser 20A via a hole mirror 46, a beam splitter or a spectral filter.

[0083] The initialization unit 42 is capable of generating a superposition instruction as a function of the images acquired by the initialization camera 40 to bring the target C to a predetermined position in the field of vision of the initialization camera 40 so that the line of sight of the reference laser 20R or of the additional laser 20A considered is positioned on the target C. The predetermined position is typically the center or an area close to the center of the field of vision of the initialization camera 40. The initialization unit 42 is, for example, a computer.

[0084] The main actuation unit 34 is capable of modifying the orientation of the line of sight of the reference laser 20R or of the additional laser 20A considered (and where appropriate of the initialization camera 40) as a function of the superposition instruction.

[0085] Alternatively, the pointing device 10 does not include an initialization assembly 16 and the positioning of the task of the reference laser 20R or the additional laser 20A considered on the target C is done at start-up via a scan carried out by respectively the reference laser 20R or the additional laser 20A considered around the target C until the signal is observed on the tracking camera 30. For example, the site-bearing orientation of the device 10 could be used to produce the scan pattern.

[0086] An example of operation of the pointing device 10 will now be described. In the case where the reference laser 20R and the additional laser 20A are beacon lasers, at startup, only the beacon lasers are activated and the power lasers are switched off.

[0087] When the device 10 includes an initialization assembly 16 for the reference pointing assembly 12R and the additional pointing assembly 12A, each initialization assembly operates in the following manner.

[0088] The target C, possibly illuminated by the illumination laser 36, is imaged by the initialization camera 40. The initialization unit 42 generates a superposition instruction sent to the main actuator 38 aimed at bringing the target C back to the center of the field of vision of the initialization camera 40 so that the line of sight of the reference laser 20R or of the additional laser 20A considered is positioned on the target C.

[0089] By way of example, figures 6 and 7 illustrate the field of vision of an initialization camera 40, the reference laser 20R or the additional laser 20A considered being emitted at the center of the field of vision (common line of sight with the initialization camera 40). The transition from figure 6 to figure 7 is carried out by a modification of the orientation of the line of sight of the reference laser 20R or the additional laser 20A considered (and therefore of the initialization camera 40) making it possible to bring the target C back to the center of the field of vision of the initialization camera 40.

[0090] Alternatively, the reference laser 20R or the additional laser 20A considered scans around the target C until the signal from the reference laser 20R or the additional laser 20A considered on the target C is observed on the tracking camera 30.

[0091] Once the tasks of the reference laser 20R and the additional lasers 20A are considered visible on the target C by the tracking camera 30, images of the target C and the tasks of the reference laser 20R and the additional lasers 20A are successively acquired by the tracking camera 30.

[0092] The main processing unit 32 identifies the tasks of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A on the images acquired by the tracking camera 30 based on the known time signatures of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A.

[0093] The main processing unit 32 also generates a control instruction based on the acquired images and the identification carried out so as to carry out control of the task of the reference laser 20R and of each additional laser 20A on the target C (so that the task of the laser considered remains concentrated in the same place).

[0094] In the case where the reference laser 20R and the additional laser 20A are beacon lasers, the power lasers are then activated once the tasks of the beacon lasers on the target C have been controlled. Thus, the invention makes it possible to code the intensity of several lasers whose time signature, after detection on a camera, will make it possible to identify them and to correct the orientation of each of them, in order to ensure their convergence at the same point. In particular, an original aspect is to use periodic extinctions (intensity modulations) to create temporally differentiated events on the tracking camera 30 in order to identify each laser and its position in the image relative to the others.

[0095] This allows much more flexibility (line of sight orientation, multiple beams, etc.) and reduces the number of servo cameras.

[0096] It also allows direct observation of the position of the lasers, taking into account, for example, heating of the optical path of the lasers, glare problems of the camera linked to the monostatic system, or localized turbulence.

[0097] In summary, the 10 pointing device has many advantages:

[0098] As the reference laser 20R and the additional laser(s) 20A are seen on the tracking camera 30, it is possible to correct for the effects related to turbulence.

[0099] - If the structure moves in temperature, the direction of the 20R reference laser and the additional 20A lasers will be corrected in real time and therefore will always illuminate the same target point.

[0100] It is possible to directly address any location of the target C, especially the most vulnerable areas.

[0101] The illuminated area is observed directly and it is possible to directly see the effects of the laser on target C.

[0102] It is possible to manage several lasers simultaneously at the same wavelength or at close wavelengths.

[0103] This architecture is primarily intended for laser-directed energy weapons but can be used for any application requiring the superposition of laser beams.

[0104] Those skilled in the art will understand that the described embodiments can be combined with each other provided that they are technically compatible.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Device (10) for pointing a target (C) comprising: - a reference pointing assembly (12R) comprising a reference laser (20R), the reference laser (20R) having period intensity variations (T R ) known forming a known time signature for the reference laser (20R), - at least one additional pointing assembly (12A) comprising an additional laser (20A), each additional pointing assembly (12A) having a line of sight different from the reference pointing assembly (12R) and from any other additional pointing assemblies (12A), each additional laser (20A) having variations in intensity of known period (TAI) which are temporally offset from those of the reference laser (20R) and from those of any other additional lasers (20A) by a known temporal offset (Ai) so as to define a known temporal signature for each additional laser (20A), - a tracking assembly (14) comprising: • a tracking camera (30) capable of acquiring images of the target (C) and of the task of the reference laser (20R) and of each additional laser (20A) on the target (C), the tracking camera (30) having a line of sight different from the line of sight of the reference pointing assembly (12R) and of each additional pointing assembly (12A), • a main processing unit (32) capable of: identifying the tasks of the reference laser (20R) and of each additional laser (20A) on the images acquired by the tracking camera (30) as a function of the known time signatures of the reference laser (20R) and of each additional laser (20A), generating a control instruction as a function of the acquired images and the identification carried out so as to carry out a control of the task of the reference laser (20R) and of each additional laser (20A) on the target (C), and • a main actuation unit (34) capable of modifying the orientation of the line of sight of the reference pointing assembly (12R) and of each additional pointing assembly (12A) as a function of the servo-control instruction.

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, in which the reference laser (20R) and the additional laser(s) (20A) are continuous or quasi-continuous power lasers.

3. Device (10) according to claim 2, in which the variations in intensity of the reference laser (20R) and of the additional laser(s) (20A) are periodic extinctions of the signal emitted by said lasers.

4. Device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the reference laser (20R) and the additional laser(s) (20A) are pulsed beacon lasers, the reference pointing assembly (12R) and each additional pointing assembly (12A) further comprising a power laser on the same line of sight as the respective reference laser (20R) or additional laser (20A) of said pointing assembly.

5. Device (10) according to claim 4, in which each power laser is capable of being activated only when the task of the corresponding beacon laser on the target (C) is controlled.

6. Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the tracking camera (30) is an event detection camera capable of detecting variations in intensity of the reference laser (20R) and of each additional laser (20A).

7. Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the tracking camera (30) is a camera having an acquisition rate greater than the inverse of the smallest time shift (Ai) of the additional laser(s) (20A).

8. Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the reference laser (20R) and each additional laser (20A) emit on the same wavelength band.

9. Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the tracking assembly (14) comprises an illumination laser (36) capable of illuminating the target (C).

10. Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the device (10) comprises, for each of the reference pointing assembly (12R) and the or additional pointing assemblies (12A), a tracking initialization assembly (16) comprising: an initialization camera (40) having a line of sight common to the reference laser (20R) for the reference pointing assembly (12R) and respectively to the additional laser (20A) for the additional pointing assembly (12A), the initialization camera (40) being capable of acquiring images of the target (C), and an initialization unit (42) capable of generating a superposition instruction as a function of the images acquired by the initialization camera (40) to bring the target (C) into a predetermined position in the field of vision of the initialization camera (40) so that the line of sight of the reference laser (20R) or of the additional laser (20A) considered is positioned on the target (C), the main actuation unit (34) being capable of modifying the orientation of the line of sight of the power laser (12) in function of the superposition instruction 11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the reference laser (20R) and each additional laser (20A) are capable of performing a scan around the target (C) until the signal from said laser (20R, 20A) is observed on the tracking camera (30).

Images