Thermal Imaging Binoculars / flir monoculars
See the advantage of advanced low cost flir IR thermal binoculars & monoculars from SPI Corp and you’ll get the best in thermal imaging binoculars & monoculars anyone can offer. Our thermal binoculars & monoculars feature tough, ruggedized weather resistant housing, making them perfect to use in any conditions at any time of day or night; search & rescue, law enforcement investigations, homeland security / defense or military operations. We have mini long range thermal binoculars and thermal monoculars that are specifically made to keep a steady image even at high speeds on aircraft, vehicle, man portable or boats. Call us today for more information & pricing.We offer long range thermal flir binoculars and thermal monocular spotters with addon sensors such as laser range finders LRF, compass, gps, geo location and additional tactical sensors for long range target location and detection.
NEW- ELANUS Long Range Multi Spectral Sensor Fused Tactical Observation/ Surveillance Binocular System
The ELANUS is a Long Range multi function binocular handheld observation / Security / Surveillance system with a day optical sensor
a cooled high resolution MWIR thermal imager along with a laser range finder (LRF), GPS, inclinometer and magnetic compass
all integrated into one compact system. Sensor fusion, image stabilization / enhancement are a few capabilities offered by the unit which can be used as a standalone
hand-held unit with integrated binocular eyepiece or as a mobile PTZ vehicle mounted system bore-sighted
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The Arrow is an advanced state of the art lightweight Ultra Ruggedized next generation digital multi
purpose multi sensor hand held/pan tilt zoom PTZ Thermal Imaging, long Range CCTv Tactical binocular system with advanced laser rangefinder and GEO custom features.
If your application calls for a Multi Sensor thermal FLIR binocular with Extreme reliably and
ultra Ruggedness, The Arrow imaging system is a prime solution.
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HTMI v2.0 Mini Thermal Monocular LWIR Scope
LRTS-15 Handheld Thermal Scope
IR SPOTTER Mini Thermal Surveillance Camera
ARROW LWIR Long Range Binocular Thermal Imager
X400 TacScope Handheld Scope
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Just Released the Sapphire long range 60 hz light waterproof thermal imaging flir binoculars
SPI is implementing new high resolution imaging system integrated with the new Eagle Eye-X Binocular Dual Eye WUXGA OLED imaging viewer engine
Long range thermal binoculars are a prime choice for many military, law enforcement, and homeland security professionals, typically the use of a dual eye binocular or biocular system is preferred over single eyed monoculars due to the enhanced image presentation to the users eye. HD high resolution Oled micro displays offer big screen style immersive viewing capabilities which is pleasant to the eye and Aids in reduced eye strain and fatigue. SPI has many standalone long range thermal Flir binoculars with multi sensors giving multi spectral imaging capabilities. Day and night vision cameras along with geo locating sensors and ir lasers are added to compliment the overall system and increase its capabilities, today’s top tier SPI thermal binocular observation/reconnaissance and detection systems have up to a dozen sensors and detectors added into a single platform.
Contact mike@x20.org for custom or cots systems
Long Range Thermal Binoculars (thermal imaging FLIR) reference data…
ABSTRACT
Today’s war fighter requires a lightweight, high performance thermal binocular dual eye flir IR imager for use in night and reduced visibility
conditions. The operational requirements dictate that the system be lightweight, but still have significant range
capabilities and extended operating time on a single battery load. The development of a hand-held binocular FLIR using a staring focal
plane array imager. This paper will discuss the resulting system design and performance, a successful result of
tradeoffs made in the areas of infrared characteristics, size, weight and power (SWaP) to ensure a lightweight, but
high performance thermal imager.
Thermal Binoculars in MWIR cooled and LWIR uncooled
1. INTRODUCTION
Modern day ground forces operating throughout the world need for their personnel to be equipped with a personal
thermal imaging binocular FLIR camera to provide capability for detection, recognition and acquisition of tactical targets at day and
night, and under adverse weather conditions. This imager would give combat and reconnaissance units a decided
edge in today’s combat environment. The desired system was to have been fully developed with “state of the art”
core technology. The system was also identified to give the user other potential detection capabilities. Specific
requirements included:
• Detection of Man-Sized Targets at 3500 meters (minimum)
• Recognition of Man-Sized Targets at 2200 meters (minimum)
• Detection of Vehicle-Sized Targets at 7500 meters (minimum)
• Weight of under 6 pounds
• MIL-STD-810F Qualified
The detector outputs are multiplexed, digitized, and stored in processor memory. The stored image
is reformatted into a standard video image for display on a high-resolution organic light-emitting diode (OLED). In
addition to a comprehensive, permanent factory Non-Uniformity Correction (NUC), a fast field-NUC algorithm
allows the user to easily correct for image non-uniformities during normal operation. The system uses standard
military rechargeable or disposable batteries (NSN). An external communications protocol and video output allow
for remote control and imagery viewing.
Optional accessories include a 2X optical telescope, laser rangefinder, integral GPS receiver, and integral digital
magnetic compass (DMC). The system was intended to be used primarily for surveillance and reconnaissance;
however, with the options, it can also be used as part of a fire control solution.
2. INFRARED BAND SELECTION
The two main thermal imaging systems in use for hand held ground applications today are the uncooled long-
wavelength infrared (LWIR) and the cooled mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR). Other thermal imaging flir
monocular and binocular system types exist such as
monocular and binocular system types exist such as
scanning and staring cooled long-wavelength infrared, but most of the hand held applications are trending toward
UCIR versus CMIR. Each type of system has inherent advantages and disadvantages. Advantages of the UCIR
system include: lower cost (as much as ½ less than a typical cooled system), no “cool-down” time, and quieter
operation. Disadvantages include: lower sensitivity, requiring large optics to achieve longer-range performance, and
slower response time (mostly critical in high-speed applications). Advantages of the CMIR system include higher
sensitivity (and higher performance) and smaller optics; while disadvantages include higher cost and weight (due to
the cooler and additional battery power required), as well as a required detector “cool-down” period and some
acoustic noise from the cooler during operation.
Another key difference is the inherent characteristics of the two infrared bands used in the Long Range Thermal
Binoculars (thermal imaging FLIR). The typical
Binoculars (thermal imaging FLIR). The typical
theatre of operation for the system includes humid environments such as coastal areas, tropical areas and at sea. At
short ranges, there is no significant difference in atmospheric attenuation of the IR radiation between 8-12µm and 3-
5µm spectral bands. Therefore an 8-12µm (LWIR) system, such as the commonly available un-cooled systems, may
be acceptable. For medium to long range applications, especially in humid environments however, there is a
significant advantage for 3-5µm systems over 8-12µm systems, since the accumulated atmospheric attenuation at the
8-12µm band is much higher. This clear advantage of 3-5µm systems is a well known phenomenon that has been
demonstrated in numerous field tests and demonstrations. For comparison we have calculated range performance of
cooled mid-wavelength infrared (CMIR) and un-cooled long-wavelength infrared (UCIR) systems, with various
typical optical configurations, at US standard (dry) atmosphere as well as at tropical atmosphere (~70% Rh). Table
1 shows that a CMIR system with similar (F/1.0) optics and focal plane array format compared to the UCIR has
longer Detection, Recognition and Identification (DRI, per Johnson’s Criteria) ranges. The table also shows that for
a standard Tropical atmosphere compared to a US Standard atmosphere, the CMIR ranges are degraded only by 5%
to 6%; while the UCIR system range performance degrades by 7% to 34%.
This relative range degradation relationship with humidity will hold for all long-wavelength infrared systems,
regardless of whether they are cooled or uncooled, given similar optical and focal plane dimensions. The range
performance of the 8-12 µm system will be further degraded (versus the 3-5µm system) for non-standard (but very
common) humid tropical atmospheres (90% Rh or more), which are typical to sea and near-equator conditions.
Therefore the CMIR system meets almost all objective range performance requirements in its basic configuration.
Range performance can be further enhanced by using a field-installable X2 add-on telescope or by using a higher
resolution detector (available growth potential). Extension of range performance in the uncooled system is very
difficult due to the already large optics that would be required to meet the predicted performance for this application.
The NETD of the CMIR system is very low (20mK) while the NETD of UCIR is significantly higher
(approximately 110 mK). This would yield a very noisy picture of a UCIR system versus a very quiet and high
sensitivity image of the CMIR. When observing a remote object, the UCIR system will typically show the object
floating on a “milky” background, and almost no background scenery details will be distinctive. The CMIR image,
on the other hand, will be very detailed and emphasizing many background scenery details. Finally, the
magnification of a CMIR system in the narrow FOV (basic configuration) is X8 (versus only X5 of the typical
UCIR), yields a much more detailed image even at the outer boundaries of the range performance envelope. Finally,
UCIR systems usually use a shutter mechanism which may be noisy and causes periodic image blinks. Therefore,
while UCIR is a good choice for cost-driven, low- to moderate-performance applications, the CMIR is still the best
choice for high-performance applications, especially in high-humidity environments.
3. SIZE, WEIGHT AND POWER CONSIDERATIONS
A key design requirement for the system was to be small and lightweight to support ground force activities.
However, as system designs evolve, designers will look for ways to shrink packaging, share system resources, and
fit more components into less space. As such, the level of interconnectivity and required interaction between the
various components increases. This includes the need for more integration of electrical functionality and
increasingly tight packaging of the system components. This design philosophy can be counter to requirements for
ease of system maintenance in the field. For system maintenance in the field, technicians must be able to easily
identify and then repair or swap out failed components with a minimum of required re-alignment and re-calibration.
Leveraging of existing test equipment resources is also desired. As such, the design must achieve a balance between
maximizing ease of maintenance while still minimizing the overall package dimensions.
The thermal imaging binocular is constructed of very few modules – an integral detector / dewar / cooler (DDC), modular focus
and field of view (FOV) assemblies, an independent display assembly, and a small number of compact circuit card
assemblies (CCAs). Each module is independently tested and verified – resulting in an increased reliability at the
system level. The modules have been arranged within the unit in order of decreasing life, so that the components
most likely to fail are the easiest to access and repair or replace.
The heart of the Long Range Thermal Binoculars (thermal imaging FLIR) is the compact DDC assembly.
A critical decision in the size, weight and power (SWaP)
A critical decision in the size, weight and power (SWaP)
tradeoff, a cooled detector was selected over an uncooled detector in order to achieve superior range performance.
The detector is integrated with a closed-cycle
cooler with integrated electronics from Ricor, Ltd to form the DDC package. The integrated DDC package is highly
reliable and is a primary contributor toward increasing the system MTBF to over 2000 operating hours.
Contributing factors to the cooled versus un-cooled detector decision include the availability of high-power Lithium
Ion batteries from the available stock of US military equipment, as well as Ricor’s work towards lowering the power
consumption of the cooler. The imager can use either rechargeable (BB-2847) or non-rechargeable (BA-5347)
batteries. Normal operating time on a single battery exceeds 4 hours at 23° C. Using the appropriate adapters, the
imager can also be powered from wall outlets or vehicles.
The design of the optical system was another critical part of the SWaP tradeoff. Here, a balance between system
performance (increased optics size) and system weight had to be achieved. Trade factors include system focal
length, f#, and number of elements. The choice of the system FOV had to provide the ability for the user to scan a
field of regard for general situational awareness (wide FOV), while providing the ability for increased detection and
identification range (narrow FOV) – all in as small a footprint as possible. The system’s optical parameters were
chosen to reflect the imager’s use as a handheld (i.e. not stabilized) system. The general parameters for the optical
system are shown in Table 3. The resulting optical path from the objective to the DDC was also designed to be
folded to increase the overall compactness of the system.
The Long Range Thermal Binoculars (thermal imaging FLIR) concept of operations showed that there would be situations where
the war fighter would be able to make use of increased range detection capability. Rather than incorporate larger
optics that would contribute to the overall weight of the system, the resulting design includes an X2 telescope to
provide increased detection ranges, but allows the user the flexibility to not use the telescope when reduced weight
is desired.
Once the design team had established the primary performance parameters and components for the system, the
remainder of the components had to be packaged in order to reduce the volume of the system while maximizing the
ease of system maintenance. Figure 1 depicts some of this packaging.
Design of the system enclosure had to satisfy the requirements to reduce weight while still allowing the imager to
withstand the conditions required to meet the specified environmental conditions. The environment had been
specified from -30° C to +50° C and included exposure to sand, rain, and salt exposure, tested to MIL-STD-810F.
The final design is environmentally sealed and has a user-friendly weight of 5.7 pounds (excluding the battery) with
the standard aluminum case. If additional weight reduction is desired, the imager can be manufactured with an
optional Magnesium case, reducing the system weight to 5.1 pounds (excluding the battery).
4. HUMAN FACTORS DESIGN
The hallmark of the resulting imager design is its simplicity and ease of use, with the typical training time for most
operators being less than 1 hour. In addition to the SWaP trades that were performed for the system design, the
imager incorporates other important features to make the system more useable by the war-fighter. These features
begin at the primary interface to the system – the binocular display.
The display is an organic light emitting diode OLED that is integrated into the top cover assembly of the system.
The display provides the user with a high intensity, high resolution (VGA), and monochrome image of the thermal
scene. To achieve the VGA (640 x 480) resolution, each pixel of the 320 x 240 is replicated to a 4 x 4 pixel area,
along with some image processing. Display symbology (Figure 4) provides the user with an intuitive interface for
system control. A 5-mil reticle is also provided.
The user views the display through the binocular optics. The binocular assembly includes both a diopter adjustment
(from -6 to +2 diopters) and an interpupilary distance adjustment. The display and binocular components are
incorporated into the top cover assembly of the imager. This design adds to the ease of system maintenance, as it
allows the display portion of the system to be placed out of the way as the user accesses the other internal
components. The imager top cover assembly is shown in Figure 5.
The user controls the imager through a series of buttons that are incorporated into the top cover assembly. Six
buttons on the top of the assembly provide the user easy access to the most-used functions of the system – FOV
selection, focus control, polarity selection (black hot / white hot), and gain selection (manual / auto).
5. GROWTH CAPABILITY
The Long Range Thermal Binoculars (thermal imaging FLIR) can be modified to
accomplish specialized missions through the installation of a recently developed
accomplish specialized missions through the installation of a recently developed
image processor and a color OLED eyepiece display. This processor allows implementation of image processing
algorithms for specialized applications including dynamic range stretching, contrast enhancement, edge detection
and other common and useful functions. Optional accessories include a 2X optical telescope, laser rangefinder,
integral GPS receiver, and integral digital magnetic compass (DMC). The system was intended to be used primarily
for surveillance and reconnaissance; however, with the options, and by use of the included video output and external
data interfaces, it can also be used as part of a fire control solution. The imager, therefore, is a standard platform in
which is readily modified and upgraded depending upon specific user requirements.
SUMMARY Todays Long Range Thermal imaging FLIR binoculars with in LWIR and MWIR cooled running at 9hz 30 hz and 60hz offer quite robust performance with precision lenses and additional Sensors like color night vision, lrf, gps, compass, image recording, ir laser pointers, designators and illuminators. 12 micron detectors along with new 10um sensors & mini high powered Dsp and fpga processors allow for video live real time picture motion capture collection storage and playback in visible infrared Spectrum and other HD wavelengths. Geolocation, audio and other useful advanced military battle features are being implemented into new next generation SPI thermal binoculars.
