Precision prediction of beacon center spot in atmospheric turbulent environments

Atmospheric turbulence in the laser propagation path induces phase distortion and adversely affects the acquisition of the beacon spot center for satellite–ground laser links. We introduce an optical flow method to track multiple feature points and obtain the overall motion state of the light spot to predict the inter-frame offset and offset direction of the center position of the light spot. We combined rough and specific selections to improve the feature point selection and proposed a feature point exit and supplement mechanism suitable for an atmospheric turbulence environment. The algorithm outperformed traditional algorithms in terms of stability and accuracy in experimental verification, providing a simple and high-precision solution for predicting beacon spot centers under turbulent atmospheric conditions.