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FLIR Systems thermal imaging cameras

for coastal surveillance applications.
Protecting a countrys borders is vital to its national security. It is however very challenging to detect
potential intruders or smugglers in total darkness, in the most diverse weather conditions. Thermal
imaging cameras can help border control professionals to meet the demands they face at night and in
other low-light situations.
Border control means more than protecting land
borders only. Numerous countries have a large
coastline that needs to be protected as well. With
over 3,200 kilometers of coastline, Sweden is just
one example.
Thermal imaging cameras are a great tool for
protecting a countrys land or coastal borders.
Although FLIR Systems markets a full range of
thermal imaging cameras with cooled detector
for these applications, some Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEM) like to incorporate a thermal
imaging module in their own product themselves.
For these OEMs, FLIR Systems markets a full range of
thermal imaging cores that can easily be integrated
in any application.
Electro-Optical Surveillance Systems (EOSS)
Based in Sweden, Informationssytem AB is one
of Europes leading companies for the design and

construction of advanced visual surveillance systems

for military purposes. , explains Mr. Fleming Eklund,
Manager at Informationssytem AB.

The EOSS is equipped with two daylight cameras and a

FLIR Systems ThermoVision 3000 core for night vision.

For monitoring a part of the Swedish coastline,

we have developed and deployed various ElectroOptical Surveillance Systems (EOSS) for the Swedish
Navy and Coastguard. The EOSS have a rugged
housing designed for round the clock operation
in extreme environments. They withstand the near
arctic temperatures of the northern Swedish winters.
The housing is mounted on a remote controlled
platform.
The EOSS are equipped with two daylight cameras.
One camera gives full visual coverage of the entire
surveillance area. The other is equipped with a longrange zoom lens enabling the reading of the name
of a ship over many kilometers.
For night and low light vision purposes, the EOSS

A part of the control room. All traffic is monitored day and

night.

is also equipped with a thermal imaging module.

We have chosen to integrate the FLIR Systems
ThermoVision 3000 core in the EOSS

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ThermoVision 3000 long range thermal imaging
core.
The ThermoVision 3000 core has been especially
designed for Original Equipment Manufacturers
(OEM). It can be easily integrated into systems
that require an advanced, cooled thermal imaging
solution. The module is equipped with a longwave, cooled Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector
(QWIP) operating in the 8 9 m waveband.
The ThermoVision 3000 is equipped with triple
field of view optics. With the ThermoVision 3000
module, a man-sized target can be detected at
over 12 kilometers away, An object the size of a 2.3
x 2.3 meter vessel can be detected at practically 19
kilometers away.
Thermal imaging a great tool inside the EOSS
All these features make the ThermoVision 3000
an excellent module to build into an EOSS that
needs to be operational in total darkness as well.,
continues Mr. Eklund. In Sweden we have quite
some dark hours, especially in winter time. Thermal
imaging cameras work by making extremely small
temperature differences visible. The ThermoVision
3000 core detects differences of no less than 0.03C.
Since there is a small difference in temperature
between the main hull of the ship and the lettering
on the hull, it is even possible to read the name of
the ship in total darkness.

Two EOSS Systems are installed along the Swedish

coast.
But the thermal imaging core is not only used in
darkness. A thermal imaging camera is also not
blinded by glare from the sun. Even when its range
performance is affected by fog and light rain, it will
normally see more than a CCTV camera in these
conditions. Therefore the ThermoVision module is
used in daylight as well.

FLIR Systems markets a full range of cooled thermal imaging

cores for OEMs that want to integrate the power of thermal
imaging in their own systems. Cores with Indium Antimonide,
Mercury Cadmium Telluride or Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector
are available.
The FLIR ThermoVision
3000 Multi-Sensor
contains the same
thermal imaging
module as the EOSS.

All cores are integrated in FLIR Systems own thermal imaging cameras
as well and have proven their reliability. The ThermoVision 3000 core is
the same core that is integrated in the FLIR Systems ThermoVision 3000
and ThermoVision 3000 Multi-Sensor.

FLIR Systems markets a full range of cooled cores that can be easily integrated by OEMs that want
to equip their own products with the power of thermal imaging:
ThermoVision 3000

MCT 1500

MCT 3000

Detector type

Quantum Well
Infrared Photodetector (QWIP)

Mercury Cadmium
Telluride (MCT)

Mercury Cadmium
Telluride (MCT)

Detector size

320 x 240 or 640 x 480

320 x 240 or 640 x 480

320 x 240 or 640 x 480

Spectral range

8.0 to 9.2 m

3.7 to 4.8 m

3.7 to 4.8 m

Fields of View

If you would like more information about any of these cores, please contact FLIR Systems.
Easy integration
Integrating the ThermoVision 3000 in the EOSS
was a relatively easy job., continues Mr. Eklund.
"The ThermoVision 3000 provides a turnkey
thermal imager with advanced image processing
features built-in and ready for system integration.
It incorporates easily with common power and
video interfaces found in existing and new systems.
The images from the 640 x 480 pixel detectors can
be displayed on virtually any existing display that
accepts composite video.
EOSS monitors the Swedish coastline
In order to see as far as possible, the EOSS
are positioned on towers more than 20 meters
above sea level. They are designed to work in
conjunction with a radar in a so-called slewto-cue configuration. If the radar is detecting a
target, the camera will automatically turn in the
right direction so that the operator can see what
the blip on the radar screen really means and can
begin the identification process. In darkness, the
ThermoVision 3000 will do this job seamlessly.

The communication between the cameras and

the monitoring station is based on a digital network
system. Connection links can be in fiber, coax, or
wireless microwave link and require a band width
of 8 MBit for real time pictures using MPEG-2 video
streaming. All the functions of the EOSS, including
the one from the ThermoVision 3000 core, can be
controlled from the central monitoring station by
a PC with graphic user interface or by a joystick.
Any of the central monitoring stations fitted with
the interface equipment connected to the digital
network can view and control the cameras.
Proven reliability
Today, the EOSS are in operation for more than 6
years already., explains Mr. Eklund. No technical
problems have occurred in this period of time
and the Swedish Navy and Coastguard, the endusers of the systems, are still extremely happy.
The thermal imaging module inside the EOSS
is greatly contributing to this. It assures that no
vessel passes the Swedish coastline undetected.
Night and day.

Thanks to the triple Field of View optics, the ThermoVision 3000 core allows you to keep a broad situational
awareness, but also to zoom in once a target has been detected.

FLIR Commercial Vision Systems B.V.

Charles Petitweg 21
4847 NW Teteringen - Breda
Netherlands
Phone : +31 (0) 765 79 41 94
Fax : +31 (0) 765 79 41 99
e-mail : flir@flir.com
www.flir.com

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For more information about thermal imaging

cameras or about this application,
please contact: