Night-Vision Capability for a nano UAV

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Miniature but with night sight. Prox Dynamics has unveiled a night-capable version of its PD-100 Black Hornet unmanned air vehicle, believed to be the world’s smallest operational military UAV. This according to Aviation Week.

The 18-gram single-rotor helicopter is fitted with both long-wave infrared and day video sensors, and can transmit video streams or high-resolution still images via a digital datalink with a 1-meter range.

Unmanned systems conference 2014 – Israel

More than 3,000 PD-100 air vehicles have been delivered, the company says, and the system has been used operationally in Afghanistan by British army units since 2013. The results, according to British army reports, were very good.

The complete system weighs 1.3 kg and comprises two vehicles, a charging and transport case and a ground control station. The helicopter has an endurance of 25 min. and can operate in a 15-kt. wind.

Norway-based Prox Dynamics produces most components of the PD-100 itself, above the chip level. For example, the company buys the IR detector but has designed and built the new camera itself, and also designs and builds the high-efficiency propulsion motor. Component design, the company says, allows the PD-100 to achieve a useful endurance while powering the cameras, datalink and GPS receiver.