Sensors using infrared technology to be added to tactical UASs by Navy, Marines
NewsJuly 30, 2020
FAIRFAX, Va. Image-processing company Logos Technologies has won a $6.7 million contract from the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to develop, deliver, and perform proof-of-concept flight tests on a wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) sensor that will be integrated onto small tactical unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) by the Navy and Marine Corps.
The sensor system -- to be called Cardcounter -- is designed to be a missionized version of the Logos Technologies BlackKite sensor, a very lightweight WAMI prototype using infrared (IR) technology.
According to information from the company, the BlackKite sensor weighs less than 28 pounds and is capable of imaging an area of more than 12 square kilometers (about 5 square miles) in coverage. The sensor's multimodal edge processor can store six or more hours of mission data.
Under the terms of the initial NAVAIR contract, Logos will develop two Cardcounter prototypes, deliver them by the end of September 2020, and ready them for flight testing on the RQ-21A Blackjack.
