AUGUST 4--The JADE UC infrared (IR) camera from CEDIP Infrared Systems (Croissy-Beaubourg, France;www.cedip-infrared.com) has been delivered to the EUROCOPTER Group. The camera will be installed in the nose fuselage of a EUROCOPTER helicopter and will transmit IR thermal images to the pilot on the main head-up display in the cockpit. This addition to the helicopter will provide all-weather assistance to the pilot during the delicate landing phase of operations.
Packaged in a sealed unit, the rugged JADE UC offers IP54 standard protection against the ingress of rain and humidity for outdoor applications. It also can sustain the temperature and vibration conditions imposed during flight. Using a focal-plane sensor of 320 x 240 pixels and operating in the 8--12-μm waveband, the camera provides a thermal sensitivity of less than 80 mk and a thermal response time of less than 4 ms. Operating at up to 100 frames/s for full images over a 14-bit dynamic range, the JADE UC meets this application's requirements.
