Forward Looking Infrared

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FLIR image from a United States Navy helicopter: Suspected drug smugglers are arrested by units of the Colombian Navy.
Thales FLIR system (NAVFLIR)

Forward Looking Infrared ( FLIR ; German about forward type infrared device ) is an imaging method , perceive the infrared radiation in the direction of the vehicle or missile axis, evaluate and may optionally process for the user. In the strict sense, however, this is only actually directed forward for infrared or thermal imaging cameras on fast-flying fixed-wing aircraft (“jets”). The systems usually used on helicopters are mounted on gimbals and can therefore be swiveled. For this reason, as well as to avoid misinterpretations due to the - conscious - identity of a company primarily offering thermal imaging technologies in the military sector, the term thermal imager or thermal imaging (system) is mostly used, at least in the non-avionic sector of the military .

FLIR has been widely used in conjunction with weapon systems on low- attack aircraft and attack helicopters since the early 1960s to operate in almost all visibility conditions and to detect sources of heat.

Today's modern FLIR systems are equipped with a variety of uncooled and cooled detector systems. These reproduce two-dimensional thermal images in wavelength ranges between 2 and 14 µm. Therefore they are ideal for the detection of people and vehicles in official areas. However, they are also used in other areas such as industrial and building thermography .

Many police helicopters are also equipped with FLIR systems. The Swiss Army's transport helicopters ( AS 332 Super Puma / Cougar) are also equipped with FLIR systems and also take part in civilian SAR missions such as the search for avalanche victims and missing people.

The Austrian police have two FLIR helicopters ready for action every night. In 2016, a night-time rescue operation was flown at 2200 m altitude on the Dachstein with the transport of a seriously injured person lying down.

Even target-seeking missiles have infrared image sensors and image analysis to distinguish the flying target from flares .

In addition to FLIR, there are the methods SLIR (Sideways Looking Infrared, looking to the side ) and DLIR (Downward Looking Infrared, looking downwards ).

See also

Web links

Commons : FLIR  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ InfraTec: FLIR - Forward Looking InfraRed. In: infratec.de. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  2. ↑ Dramatic rescue on the Dachstein. In: orf.at. July 30, 2016, accessed July 30, 2016.