Hood Tech Vision’s Imagers to Support Experimental Royal Navy Squadron

Released on: December 22, 2014, 10:11 am (EST)
Author: Andy von Flotow
Industry: Software

Hood Tech Vision’s UAV imagers are being adopted by an experimental squadron of the British Navy, the head of which praises Hood Tech Vision’s cameras. Britain’s armed forces have previous experience with the UAV and with Hood Tech Vision’s imagers.

Hood River, OR, December 22, 2014 -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- Hood Tech Vision’s UAV imagers are being adopted by an experimental squadron of the British Navy, the head of which praises Hood Tech Vision’s cameras. Britain’s armed forces have previous experience with the UAV and with Hood Tech Vision’s imagers.

From: Hood Tech Corp Vision, Inc., Hood River, Oregon
Date: December 19, 2014
Subject: Hood Tech Vision’s Imagers to Support Experimental Royal Navy Squadron
Contact: Dr. Andy von Flotow, Hood Tech Corp Vision, Inc., 541-387-2288, andy@hoodtech.com

According to Flight Global online (http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/rn-establishes-uav-squadron-406695/) the Royal Navy has established its first squadron of UAVs under the supervision of the “700 Xperimental (700X) naval air squadron based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall”, for (as well as direct deployment) “testing and evaluation of future UAVs that the service operates”.

High praise for Hood Tech Vision’s cameras comes from the head of the experimental unit. “‘(T)he quality of the imagery is superb, even at night-time,’ Lt Cdr Al Rogers, commanding officer of 700X, says.

“‘Commanding officers have nothing but praise for it... an addition to the warship’s suite of sensors.’”

The electro-optical and infrared imagers provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability for a popular and flexible UAV. “We’re pleased the British Navy understands the potential for our imaging systems and for the UAV package”, said a Hood Tech representative. “They are making a good choice”.

When Hood Tech began producing 800-gm video-camera turrets in 1998, it enabled an entirely new class of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Hood Technology Vision now designs and manufactures imaging and video processing systems at the highest level of the National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale (NIIRS): level 9. Hood Tech Vision matches embedded stabilization technology with electro-optical lenses that zoom up to 200 times. This results in a field of view of 0.3 degrees, in a package that weighs from less than one to six kg. Hood Tech Vision imagers consume as little as one-fifth the power common for such systems, increasing the power budget to other sensors for Multi-INT missions. Designed for manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), boats, land vehicles, and towed and stationary mounts, the reliability and utility of Hood Tech’s daylight and thermal imaging products has been demonstrated during 800,000 hours of use in a variety of temperatures, humidity, dust, smoke, haze, and other environmental factors (http://www.hoodtechvision.com).

Dr. Andy von Flotow founded Hood Technology in Hood River, Oregon in 1993. Along with the design and manufacture of stabilized imaging systems, Hood Tech:

-Develops, tests, and manufactures launch and retrieval systems for UAVs
-Operates controlled launch and quiet wind tunnel test facilities
-Monitors blade vibrations in industrial turbines and jet engines, including diagnostic methods that predict possible future turbine failures.