FLIR Systems Awarded Contract for Nano Drones

[rangerrebew]

FLIR Systems Awarded Contract for Nano Drones
6/17/2020
By Mandy Mayfield
 

The Army awarded FLIR Systems a second contract worth $20.6 million to provide the service with additional miniature reconnaissance drones as part of the ongoing soldier-borne sensor program.

The FLIR Black Hornet 3 Personal Reconnaissance System is a nano-sized unmanned aerial vehicle that makes surveillance capabilities portable for soldiers at the platoon and small unit levels, said Roger Wells, the company’s vice president and general manager for unmanned systems and integrated solutions.

“It’s extremely light, it’s very robust, nearly silent with flight times up to 25 minutes, which provides an organic surveillance reconnaissance capability,” Wells said in an interview.

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/6/17/flir-systems-awarded-contract-for-nano-drones

[Idiot]

I question those Nano Drones....  Heck my Mavic Mini can't handle the wind at all.  20 mph wind and it's in the next county.

[catfish1957]

FLIR is a hell of a company with great technology.  Way back we used their cameras for VOC leak detection based on infrared fraction differentiation.    So cool at the time. 

[EdinVA]

So, how many of these new toys do we get for $21 million?  More than 20 I hope..

[catfish1957]

So, how many of these new toys do we get for $21 million?  More than 20 I hope..

A standard simple FLIR camera 15 years ago ran about $10K accessorized.  No telling how far the technology has advanced in just my time that I have left the profession.  I am sure the cost has adjusted significantly higher.    As far as costs associated with the aviation aspects of drones?  I don't have the foggiest.