Electro Optic Surveillance System
Electro Optic Surveillance System
An electro optical surveillance system, also known as a vision sensor, is a military-grade imaging device that captures the electromagnetic radiation naturally emitted or reflected by objects in the visible and infrared (IR) spectrum.electro optical surveillance system The resulting imagery is used to detect, track, and identify threats. The sensors are ideally suited to naval applications because they can operate in harsh environments and work through obscurants such as smoke, fog, and haze. They are used for a variety of purposes including maritime navigation, intelligence gathering, search and rescue, target acquisition, and weather observation.
A typical EO/IR surveillance system has two parts: imaging and position sensors.electro optical surveillance system The imaging sensor captures radiation in the visible and IR wavelengths, converting it into electronic signals that are transmitted to the position sensor via the optical interface. When the imager's optical protective window is not sealed properly, it can allow environmental influences to degrade the performance of both imaging and position sensors. This is why it is important to select a high-quality window for use with an EO/IR surveillance system.
All visible and IR radiation is emitted by objects, with the intensity of the emitted energy largely dependent on the object's temperature.electro optical surveillance system By capturing this radiated energy, a picture of the object can be formed on a TV screen. EO/IR systems are commonly mounted on aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, satellites, and ground-based platforms. They are used for a variety of applications, including maritime navigation and surveillance, intelligence gathering, and target acquisition.
Unlike radar, which relies on active radiation and waits for the return signal, EO/IR systems operate in passive mode by detecting the natural radiated heat signatures of objects that are detected by their sensitivity to the invisible infrared spectrum. The system can detect a range of objects based on their size, motion, and characteristics and provide a live picture to the operator.
To enhance detection capabilities, EO/IR surveillance systems can be integrated with other sensors, such as radar, to improve situational awareness and enable warfighters to respond faster to potential threats. Improvements in pixel pitch are also helping to expand the range of EO/IR sensors by allowing them to see farther away.
The latest EO/IR surveillance systems, such as the L3Harris MK20 Mod 1, are platform and weapon system agnostic, designed for integration with customer-selected or L3Harris-built fire control, consoles, and ship systems. This approach reduces ship change costs, meets individual platform shock requirements, and improves overall system availability.
In addition to enhancing weapons sights, advanced EO/IR surveillance systems can be integrated into UAVs and soldier-worn devices to enable the detection of hidden or camouflaged threats. Leonardo DRS, for example, offers a range of tactical EO/IR sensors that can be paired with its Flexnet Unattended Ground Sensors to trigger and control third-party equipment such as chemical detection or PTZ cameras. The sensors communicate over the Flexnet low data rate network to preserve the integrity of their electromagnetic signature and maximize operational endurance.
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