Russia is creating a new payload module for its drones to help effectiveness of aerial surveillance and monitoring. “The technology we created can process hyperspectral data streams, leading to the creation of an “all-seeing eye” that allows our drones to look beyond the usual boundaries of the human eye’s electromagnetic spectrum,” said Sergey Skokov, Deputy CEO of United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation (UIMC).
Unlike regular footage, designed to outline an object or location, the technology is based on the unique characteristics of spectral radiation emitted by every object or material. The equipment can uniquely identify anything in its field of view. This enables very accurate monitoring, assembling not just a picture made up of pixels, but pixels with a unique spectrum. This technology can also distinguish natural from man-made objects, such as camouflage nets from real grass, or fake from real elements.
The system independently identifies targets using a database of hyperspectral characteristics of different objects and materials. With the help of electro-optic equipment, the technology can also produce complete digital information about an area and can also assess environmental situations, including soil contamination, traces of chemicals, fuel spills, and more. The technology can also be used in the civilian sphere. For example, in forestry it can assess the state of forests, their species composition, or to measure the effects of wildfires and pests. In the agricultural sector, hyperspectral data analysis can provide information about the state of the soil and whether it lacks certain elements.
Although Russia’s innovations may sound nothing short of revolutionary, some of us may remember that in February 2012, Elbit Systems launched a very similar technology, designed to track intelligence targets based on the material they are made of. Elbit created a small airborne hyperspectral payload which offered new intelligence capability to its Hermes 900 and 450 UAVs. This allows to detect low signature military activity, revealing camouflage and dangerous substances. It seems that Israeli technology has once again came a step before the competition.
Source: iHLS