Software and hardware engineering efforts at ITRES have moved into the next phase towards integrating our In-Flight Processing System (IPS) development with new highresolution pushframe thermal TABI-1800 imager. “This is a big milestone for us. It moves us closer to our planned goal of offering real search and rescue (SAR) capability to our imaging product offerings” said Steven Mah, Vice President of Business Development at ITRES.“When work began on our In-Flight Processing System we saw it as the first step
towards this goal. The second step was last April’s ultra-high resolution customization of the TABI-1800. Since then the thermal TABI has definitely demonstrated its usefulness and high thermal and spatial resolution capabilities. It served very well during last summer’s rapid response application in wildfire mapping.
Fast access to accurate and precision georeferenced maps was mandatory for that. We’ve now begun integrating the TABI with a modified version of the IPS. This version will permit realtime thermal anomaly detection and marking. It bridges the gap from emergency response to thermal search and rescue. It’s a development that brings us a huge step closer to our goal”.
The real-time, search and rescue version of the IPS uses a series of algorithms to automatically detect small thermal anomalies and geo-tag them on a moving base map. The thermal capabilities of this system are provided by the TABI-1800’s patented pushframe design. This wide imaging swath sensor provides high spatial resolution (down to 15 cm with a typical fixed wing aircraft; as low as 2.5 cm using a helicopter), and high thermal resolution (0.05° Celsius) while flying fast (e.g. 15 cm pixels at 160 knots at 1250 m AGL). With an 1800 pixel imaging swath – close to twice as wide as the nearest 1000 pixel competitor – more ground can be covered quickly. Read More
