Teal Drones - Experts & Thought Leaders

Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, released its next generation of high-performance Hadron 640 dual radiometric thermal and visible camera modules. The ITAR-free Hadron 640+ and radiometric Hadron 640R+ provide industry-pioneering thermal sensitivity. All models are size, weight, and power (SWaP) optimised for integration into unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), robotic platforms, and emerging AI applications utilising Teledyne FLIR Prism™ software. Teledyne FLIR’s new Prism AI detection “The Hadron 640 series gives integrators the opportunity to deploy AI-ready, high-performance dual-camera modules into small unmanned systems where SWaP, performance, run time, and battery life are mission critical,” said Michael Walters, Vice President Product Management, Teledyne FLIR. “With Teledyne FLIR’s new Prism AI detection, tracking, and classification models and Prism ISP libraries offering super-resolution, turbulence mitigation, contrast enhancement, and more, Hadron 640 also enables effective AI-based applications.” New Hadron 640 modules Addition of a 64MP visible camera enables the Hadron 640 series to provide thermal and visible imagery The new Hadron 640 modules include a 640 x 512 resolution Boson+ longwave infrared (LWIR) camera module with industry-pioneering thermal sensitivity of 20 millikelvin (mK) or better. It sees through total darkness, smoke, most fog, and glare allowing operational awareness day and night.  The Hadron 640R+ provides temperature measurements for every pixel in the scene. The addition of a 64MP visible camera enables the Hadron 640 series to provide both thermal and visible imagery within a single camera module. Innovation for Teal drones “Continued collaboration with Teledyne FLIR enables rapid payload and performance innovation for Teal drones, accelerates time to market, and equips warfighters with the best possible technology for operational success,” said George Matus, CTO of Red Cat. “The Hadron 640 series features enhanced thermal sensitivity and HD visible cameras to provide superior performance within a compact package for the support of our NATO allies and the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance Tranche 2 program of record.” Teledyne FLIR support team To reduce development costs and time-to-market for integrators and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) product developers, the Hadron 640 series offers a complete system through a single supplier. This includes drivers for market-pioneering processors from NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and more, plus industry-pioneering integration support and service from a Teledyne FLIR support team of experts. The Hadron 640 series products are all dual-use and classified under the US Department of Commerce jurisdiction. It is available for purchase globally from Teledyne FLIR and its authorised dealers.

FLIR Systems, Inc. announced FLIR Hadron, the industry’s first dual sensor module for drone, robotic, and imaging original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Designed to help reduce development costs and improve time-to-market, the lightweight, low power, and compact form factor includes a 12-megapixel visible camera paired with the FLIR Boson 320x240 resolution thermal camera with up to a 60-hertz framerate. “With the introduction of Hadron, FLIR Systems is leading the way in offering low-cost, dual sensor integration across a variety of industries from commercial drones to industrial imaging systems,” said Paul Clayton, General Manager, Components Business at FLIR. “Although our unmanned aerial system (UAS) customers are first to market with Hadron, this product empowers all of our OEM customers to increase performance with out-of-the-box functionality and simplified integration.” Visible-thermal sensor For an aircraft where you’re trying to push the limit on flight performance, every gram matters" As part of the Hadron development process, FLIR worked closely with drone manufacturers Vantage Robotics and Teal Drones, to perfect the module for use on lightweight drone airframes. Vantage Robotics integrated Hadron into its micro-gimbal platform featuring its proprietary stabilisation technology, offering a dual-sensor, OEM solution for existing UAS airframes and potentially other robotic platforms. “Hadron is far and away the lightest and smallest combined visible-thermal sensor that has ever been commercially available,” said Tobin Fisher, CEO at Vantage Robotics. “For an aircraft where you’re trying to push the limit on flight performance, every gram matters. The ability to get these sensor capabilities in a package this small makes an enormous difference.” Thermal and visual sensors Teal has also integrated Hadron within its 2-pound (1 kilogram) Golden Eagle UAS platform, taking advantage of the module’s compact size to create a lightweight yet dynamic payload that helps preserve battery life and maximise flight time on a small airframe. “Hadron enables us to speed development and time-to- market for small airframes with thermal and visual sensors,” said Teal Drones CEO and founder, George Matus. “It’s high quality, low weight, and compact size allows for rapid integration to quickly develop prototypes.”