Optoprobe GW-IR Series Airborne Uncooled Long-Wave Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera

Overview

The Optoprobe GW-IR Series is a purpose-engineered airborne uncooled long-wave infrared (LWIR) thermal imaging camera system designed for seamless integration onto commercial and industrial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Based on a high-sensitivity vanadium oxide (VOx) microbolometer detector operating in the 7.5–13.5 µm atmospheric transmission window, the GW-IR delivers calibrated radiometric performance without cryogenic cooling—enabling compact form factor, low power consumption (<10 W), and sustained operational reliability in field-deployed drone platforms. Its dual-sensor architecture combines a 640 × 512 pixel LWIR core with a synchronized 4K (3840 × 2160) visible-light imager, supporting simultaneous capture of spatially registered thermal and optical data streams. The system is optimized for quantitative thermography applications requiring traceable temperature measurement, georeferenced thermal mapping, and real-time situational awareness—particularly in infrastructure inspection, energy auditing, precision agriculture, search-and-rescue, and scientific field campaigns.

Key Features

• Uncooled VOx microbolometer detector with <50 mK noise-equivalent temperature difference (NETD) sensitivity, ensuring high thermal contrast detection under low-delta conditions.
• Dual-sensor synchronization: hardware-triggered, frame-aligned acquisition of LWIR and visible imagery with sub-millisecond temporal registration.
• Configurable infrared optics: interchangeable 13 mm, 19 mm, and 55 mm f/1.0 lenses—each characterized for MTF and thermal calibration across the full operating temperature range.
• Radiometric accuracy validated per ISO 18434-1: ±2 °C or ±2% of reading (whichever is greater) within −20 °C to +60 °C ambient, with automatic high-/low-gain switching to maintain linearity across −20 °C to +550 °C measurement span.
• 14-bit raw thermal data output in TIFF or proprietary binary format, preserving full dynamic range and embedded per-pixel temperature metadata—including radiometric calibration coefficients and shutter state flags.
• Integrated GPS support via UAV-native NMEA-0183 or external TTL-serial GPS module, enabling geotagged thermal frames compliant with GIS-ready workflows (e.g., QGIS, ArcGIS, Pix4Dthermal).
• Robust mechanical design: IP54-rated enclosure with aluminum alloy housing, qualified for vibration spectra per MIL-STD-810H Method 514.7 (UAV-grade shock & flutter environments).

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The GW-IR is engineered for non-contact surface temperature measurement of static and moving targets at standoff distances up to 300 m (dependent on lens selection and target emissivity). It supports emissivity correction (0.01–1.00 adjustable), reflected apparent temperature compensation, and atmospheric transmittance modeling for improved absolute accuracy. All factory calibrations are traceable to NIST-traceable blackbody sources. The system complies with electromagnetic compatibility requirements per EN 55032 Class B and EN 61000-6-2/6-4. Firmware implements audit-log functionality for GLP/GMP-aligned deployments, including user authentication, configuration change history, and immutable timestamping of all thermal acquisitions. Data export formats conform to ASTM E1933-19 Annex A1 for infrared thermographic reporting.

Software & Data Management

IRresearch 2.0 software provides comprehensive post-processing capabilities: radiometric analysis, isotherm masking, spot/area temperature statistics, emissivity map generation, and orthomosaic thermal stitching using SfM-based georegistration. Batch processing supports automated report generation in PDF/HTML with customizable templates adhering to ISO 18434-1 annexes. Raw data import is supported in MATLAB (.mat), Python (NumPy .npy), and ENVI (.hdr/.dat) formats. For regulatory environments, optional 21 CFR Part 11-compliant mode enables electronic signatures, role-based access control, and full audit trail export in CSV/XML.

Applications

• Electrical utility inspections: Detection of hotspots in transformers, insulators, and conductor joints under load conditions.
• Renewable energy asset monitoring: Thermal anomaly identification in photovoltaic arrays and wind turbine gearboxes.
• Building envelope diagnostics: Quantitative assessment of insulation deficiencies, moisture intrusion, and air leakage pathways.
• Wildlife and ecological research: Nocturnal animal detection, habitat thermal profiling, and fire perimeter mapping.
• Public safety operations: Search-and-rescue in smoke-obscured or low-visibility environments; structural integrity assessment post-disaster.
• Industrial predictive maintenance: Bearing temperature trending, refractory wear evaluation, and process equipment thermal uniformity verification.

FAQ

Is the GW-IR certified for use on DJI Matrice 300/350 RTK platforms?
Yes—the GW-IR55 variant includes a dedicated X-Port gimbal interface and is fully compatible with DJI Pilot 2 SDK for real-time telemetry overlay, waypoint-triggered thermal capture, and dual-stream video streaming.
Does the system support radiometric video recording?
Yes—both continuous 30 Hz radiometric video (H.264-encoded with embedded temperature metadata) and high-fidelity 14-bit TIFF/RAW sequences are supported via dual TF card recording paths.
Can temperature measurements be exported for third-party analytics?
Absolutely—all radiometric outputs include per-pixel temperature arrays in standard numeric formats (e.g., NumPy arrays, CSV matrices), enabling integration with Python-based machine learning pipelines or MATLAB thermal modeling frameworks.
What environmental certifications does the GW-IR hold?
It meets IEC 60068-2-1 (cold), -2 (dry heat), -14 (thermal shock), and -64 (vibration—random profile), and operates reliably within −20 °C to +50 °C ambient per MIL-STD-810H UAV deployment profiles.
Is firmware update capability available over-the-air?
Firmware updates are performed via USB-C or microSD card; OTA updates are not supported to ensure deterministic behavior and regulatory compliance in safety-critical applications.