Hood Tech Vision Gears up to Provide Imaging Units for RQ-21A UAV
In response to a recent announcement that the RQ-21A is transitioning from prototype to beginning production (http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/rq-21-integrator-declared-ready-for-low-rate-production-386255/), Hood Tech Vision is ramping up its own manufacturing of imaging systems to meet the demand. The sensor systems for the RQ-21A include EO, infrared, and laser ranging. "We're pleased to be entering production mode, particularly for the RQ-21A, which has a larger airframe, more power and speed, and larger capacity than its predecessor," said Andy von Flotow, the President of Hood Tech Vision. The imaging systems for the RQ-21A are new and housed in a single turret providing zoom capability up to 170- to-one.
When Hood Tech began producing 800-gm video-camera turrets in 1998, it enabled an entirely new class of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Hood Technology Vision now designs and manufactures imaging and video processing systems at the highest level of the National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale (NIIRS): level 9. Hood Tech matches improved stabilization technology with electro-optical lenses that zoom up to 170 times. This results in a field of view of 0.3 degrees, in a package that weighs less than six kg. Designed for manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), boats, land vehicles, and stationary mounts, the reliability and utility of Hood Tech's daylight and thermal imaging products has been demonstrated over more than 700,000 hours of use in a variety of temperatures, humidity, dust, smoke, haze, and other environmental factors (http://www.hoodtechvision.com).
Dr. Andy von Flotow founded Hood Technology in Hood River, Oregon in 1992. Along with the design and manufacture of stabilized imaging systems, Hood Tech:
• Develops, tests, and manufactures launch and retrieval systems for UAVs
• Operates controlled launch and quiet wind tunnel test facilities
• Monitors blade vibrations in industrial turbines and jet engines, including diagnostic methods that predict possible future failures.
The Hood Tech web site is: www.hoodtech.com
Contact:Â Dr. Andy von Flotow, Hood Tech Corp Vision, Inc., 541-387-2288, andy@hoodtech.com
