The Blockpost-4T long-range thermal reconnaissance system with intelligent analytics was developed by the Optical and Mechanical Design Bureau “Astron” of Shvabe Holding. The system integrates a “flying thermal imager” – quadcopter UAV400T. Vladimir Popov, the general director of Astron, informed about it.
Currently, the Russian army is armed with a variety of opto-electronic means of gathering information about the terrain in any weather conditions, including thermal imaging. At the same time, for both optical and thermal imaging means, it is always necessary to choose between a large field of view (wide-angle optics) and high image detail (optics with high magnification of approximation). “We thought that integrating a ‘flying thermal imager’ into the ground surveillance system would solve this dilemma in an unconventional and rather elegant way,” Vladimir Popov said.
The long range reconnaissance system has a unified image management and reception system with its display on a single monitor. Identification of detected targets is done by an unmanned thermal imaging system at ranges of up to six kilometers. Ground-based thermal imaging stations of the “Blokpost-4T” complex enable the detection of people at ranges of up to 800 m, and vehicles at ranges of up to 2 km. Built-in video analytics highlights detected objects on the screen to help the operator in their identification, which if necessary sends a drone to the right place.
According to the general director of Astron, tests of the complex have already taken place. “The first samples are currently being produced,” he noted.
The Blockpost-4T complex with built-in analytics for target detection consists of ground-based thermal imaging cameras (from one to four) mounted on a tripod or any other support, as well as an unmanned thermal imaging system for target recognition, reconnaissance and correction of fire.
UAV400T is the first drone with a domestic thermal imager, the drone is used in the area of special operations. The drone is designed to operate as part of small units, and the main task of the complex is to detect objects with a thermal signature different from the background. The UAV is equipped with a fully domestic thermal imaging camera, domestic software, and makes it possible to detect vehicles and people at night.
