Get the most from aerial reconnaissance

Brian M Walters

Friday, 11 September, 2009

Hand-launched UAVs can provide soldiers with ‘over-the-hill’ visibility, but when weather conditions are poor, real-time video enhancement can vastly increase the value of such reconnaissance.

On Stand 705, Image Intelligence (Imint) has launched Ihvert, a software program said to double the performance of small unmanned reconnaissance systems and increase the range of larger systems. The software runs on a standard laptop, processes video in real time and is claimed to be easy to use and to improve the picture quality substantially compared with existing software products.

Its performance has been verified with the Sagem Sperwer and Elbit Skylark I in co-operation with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, and the Swedish Armed Forces.

The main purpose of Ihvert is to increase the safety and effectiveness of troops through the swift and accurate detection and geolocation reporting of time-critical events such as improvised explosive devices, sniper location or potential ambushes. Video quality is improved through advanced contrast enhancement, video stabilisation, motion blur reduction and other techniques, so that when a target is found, Ihvert provides precise reporting of the target’s location.

A ruggedised laptop and receiving device, which can be carried in a backpack, are all that is required by an operator. Depending on the mission, the system needs to be loaded with the correct maps; Ihvert can handle maps from ArcInfo and MapInfo, for example.