Police forces may soon have a new weapon in their airborne fight against crime thanks to a state-of-the-art aircrew helmet being developed for the civil market.
The Scout helmet will give helicopter pilots the ability to locate fugitives or find survivors in day or at night and is undergoing trials with police in the UK and South Africa.
Based on the Guardian military helmet, which was developed jointly by Denel's Cumulus business unit and Pilkington Optronics of the UK, the technology registers in real time the direction in which the operator is looking. It is linked to the LEO stabilised airborne observation system attached to the exterior of the aircraft
The LEO, also developed by Cumulus, is equipped with a combination of cameras, including a thermal imager (FLIR) and the selected day or night camera is automatically steered onto its target. The operator is able to zoom in on a vehicle and produce an image clear enough to view a licence plate. In conventional search mode, the LEO is steered by a camera operator who has to rely on verbal instructions from the pilot and/or observer.
Cumulus says the helmet is due for international launch by mid-2000, with UK-based McAlpine Helicopters as launch customer.
Source: Flight Daily News
