The system will be retrofitted with aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles to facilitate automatic acquisition and automatic tracking of multiple targets day and night in various climatic and environmental conditions. The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is developing an intelligent electro optical imaging system that can be mounted on airborne platforms for long-range surveillance and reconnaissance.
DRDO sources said “The system will be retrofitted with aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles to facilitate automatic acquisition and automatic tracking of multiple targets day and night in various climatic and environmental conditions, It will include several payloads and sensors such as a thermal imager, a high-definition TV camera, infrared cameras, a laser range finder and a laser target designator along with video target tracking, geolocation and geonavigation capabilities”.
According to DRDO officials, the robust gimbal-shaped system is expected to weigh around 50 kg along with the payload and measure around 16 inches in diameter and 20 inches in height.
It can be mounted on the nose or underbelly, depending on the type of platform, which is a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft. Sensor inputs will be integrated into the IAF’s surveillance and communication networks and relayed to command centers for decision-making in real-time.
DRDO’s Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE) in Dehradun is the nodal agency for the project, which will be implemented in collaboration with private industry as a complement to self-sufficiency. Work is expected to start this year.
Charged with research in advanced electro-optics, laser systems, photonics, imaging devices and weapon sights, IRDE has recently undertaken projects to develop various electro-optical systems for drone detection and for coastal and port surveillance. Electro-optical imaging sensors are used on land, air and sea platforms to detect, identify and track the movements of people and machines and determine potential targets.
With the advent of newer technologies and the increasing use of artificial intelligence, the capabilities of such sensors are increasing exponentially and their operations are becoming increasingly automated, requiring less human interface.
