An environmental protection system features a clear spinning curved
volumetric enclosure to shed and throw off environmental contaminants
such as rain, fog and dust that would affect a sensor image. The
described design is especially suitable for cameras with extremely wide
fields of view, such as panoramic or immersive cameras. Alternate forms
of volumetric enclosures are described for different lens arrangements in
compound camera systems. In all of these embodiments it is possible to
keep the cover and the mechanism spinning it invisible to the cameras. An
additional modification of the shape of the volumetric enclosure is
described that prevents any accumulation of liquid drops within the
fields of view of the sensors within the spinning volumetric enclosure.
Alternate forms of construction with air and magnetic bearings are
described for smoother and quieter operation of the spinning enclosure.