The Flir One thermal imaging camera is awesome fun, but when you put the technology on a drone, it also becomes quite useful. That’s why the company is now targeting anyone from farmers to firefighters with a new camera, the Flir Vue Pro that’s specifically designed for the GoPro mounts on drones.
This isn’t a new idea. Those that could afford it have been outfitting drones with customised thermal imaging cameras for years, though the five-figure price tag for such a rig made it prohibitive for your average fire department. The new Flir Vue Pro will start shipping in November for a comparatively low price of $US2,000. It will also fit into any drone with a GoPro mount so you could take the thermal camera airborne for under $US2,500.
This is great news small time operations with big time jobs to do. Fire departments can use flying thermal imaging cameras to detect hotspots in house fires, while farmers can use it to see if their crops are dehydrated. Thermal imaging is also a valuable tool for the folks who run solar farms, because they can spot malfunctioning panels more easily. And of course, thermal imaging will help crimefighters and bounty hunters find fugitives in the dark. That’s always a good way to get the public on your side.
[Flir]
Image via Flir