AV-8B FLIR - "Thermal Cueing Indicators"?

[OxideMako]

Apologies if this has been answered already, but as shown in this documentary, the FLIR system developed for the "Night Attack" (and later, GR.7) Harriers has some sort of thermal cueing indicator or "TCI" on the FLIR video feed, highlighting hotspots with an inverted chevron. This is shown functioning in the video, at 35:50.

 

Is this a function planned to be modeled on the RAZBAM FLIR system?

 

 

 

EDIT - Found it:

 

NAVFLIR Hotspot Detector

The NAVFLIR can be used as a target detector device thanks to its hotspot detector. The hotspot detector as it name implies detects all high temperature differentials in the terrain in front of the NAVFLIR sensor. These differentials are then displayed in the FLIR video with a “V” symbol. The pilot can determine how many target cues he wants displayed by selecting the LIM option in the FLIR video display on the MPCD. There are three selections: LIM/0 (no cues are displayed), LIM/4 (four cues max.) and LIM/8 (eight cues max.).

The hotspot detector helps the pilot concentrate on possible target locations and select one for attention. Once he has selected a target, it must be designated so targeting information for weapons release is available.

 

Hotspot cues are not available in the VSTOL master mode.

NOTE

The real NAVFLIR hotspot detector has more features and options that cannot be simulated on DCS. One of these features is sensibility. The real NAVFLIR hotspot detector will detect ALL temperature differentials which creates many false readings. Unfortunately, it is not possible to simulate such sensibility in DCS, so the hotspot detector is limited to detection of active vehicles (AI or player controlled vehicles). The hotspot detector in DCS will not mark buildings or scenery objects.

NOTE

NAVFLIR Hotspot Detector is not available on initial Early Access release. The system will be enabled in subsequent updates.

Edited March 1, 2018 by OxideMako
Found requested info.

[BritTorrent]

It's planned to be implemented, Zeus has spoken about them before.

 

As for when that'll be, your guess is as good as mine. Could be a year away yet if the Mirage was anything to go by.

[MadogPL]

Do you know the status of the FLIR?

 

 

I've found this topic that FLIR can even be in "air detection" mode

 

 

[Captain Orso]

Do you know the status of the FLIR?

 

 

I've found this topic that FLIR can even be in "air detection" mode

 

 

 

ED stated in a recent news letter that they are re-working FLIR in general, but that it is a hug job, which if you understand IR imaging, you'll have to agree.

 

Before ED is finished updating FLIR there is near 0% chance of anything being changed anywhere else.

[Harlikwin]

Yeah. Given how it works IRL vs how it might work in current DCS dont hold your breath. If ED fixes the IR model, maybe.

[Fri13]

I believe ED is currently focused to FLIR functionality as well. So there is change that this feature could come out this year.... Right?

[Harlikwin]

I believe ED is currently focused to FLIR functionality as well. So there is change that this feature could come out this year.... Right?

 

Your guess is as good as anyone's.

[Pikey]

unfortunately scenery has no heat property that can be used for such a device. A unit could theoretically be abstracted, based on if it were moving and a static lookup table with it's IR signature. Planes currently do have that data. If ED finish the FLIR model and that is usable, I'd be curious as to what a HUD woudl look like flying over a city. We saw it in rural Scotland, it was bad enough there, plenty of jitter and more false positives than valid heat sources. I suspect it's only really useful out at night in the wilderness where you dont expect any heat sources. Anywhere else its likely a completely horrible experience on your HUD.

[Harlikwin]

unfortunately scenery has no heat property that can be used for such a device. A unit could theoretically be abstracted, based on if it were moving and a static lookup table with it's IR signature. Planes currently do have that data. If ED finish the FLIR model and that is usable, I'd be curious as to what a HUD woudl look like flying over a city. We saw it in rural Scotland, it was bad enough there, plenty of jitter and more false positives than valid heat sources. I suspect it's only really useful out at night in the wilderness where you dont expect any heat sources. Anywhere else its likely a completely horrible experience on your HUD.

 

Yeah, I can imagine how it works, it will take a "picture" and anything above a certain thermal contrast will get tagged. Depending on the actual wavelength range the thermal is using, (3-5um or 8-12um) you will get some very different results, I'd assume its using LWIR but hot-spot suggests it might be 3-5um as you get better contrast for "hot things" there.

 

As it stands the NAVFLIR is 320x722 pixel core imager, so the image we get in DCS is way nicer than what it looks like IRL too.

[Mars Exulte]

@Pikey

 

Worse than the overlapping RWR tags you can't read? =)