A system and method for imaging underbodies of moving vehicles have a
stationary source of radiation to radiate energy upwardly on underbodies
of moving vehicles. A stationary video camera adjacent the radiation
source on a roadway has an upwardly facing field of view for creating
image signals representative of sequential portions of each underbody as
each moving vehicle passes overhead. A control station activates the
camera and radiation source to create the image signals and creates
mosaic signals of all of each underbody from the image signals. A display
screen provides a mosaic image of each underbody from its mosaic signals.
A virtually real-time inspection or a comparison can be made with
previously taken underbody images of the same moving vehicle or with
vehicle manufacturers' data for the same vehicular models. Moving cars,
trucks, marine vessels, aircraft, can be quickly imaged for inspection
and/or comparison by fewer security personnel.