DRS Technologies Targets Original Equipment Manufacturers with Infrared Camera Module for Use in Security and Surveillance Products

DRS Technologies, Inc., A Finmeccanica Company, announced that its ZafiroTM640 infrared camera module is ready for immediate shipment to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for integration into security and surveillance installations as well as a broad range of other applications that require superior thermal imaging capability.
Competitively priced, the ZafiroTM640 is a lightweight (3.3 lbs.) medium-to-long range cooled thermal imaging module that detects mid-wave infrared energy. Because it senses heat, rather than visible light, the ZafiroTM640 can see through rain, smoke, dust, haze, light fog and the dark of night to produce a large, sharp 640×480 pixel thermal image.
Manufactured by the Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) Group of DRS Technologies in Dallas, Tex., and Melbourne, Fla., the ZafiroTM640 incorporates DRS‘ 12-micron pitch mercury cadmium telluride focal plane array, which is 20% smaller than competitive products, which enables the ZafiroTM640 to see farther with similar optics at a reduced system weight.
The exceptional thermal sensitivity of DRS‘ focal plane array enables 120°K operation without sacrificing image quality while also reducing power consumption to an industry-low 7.5 watts of power at ambient temperature. When used in connection with DRS‘ patented cryo-cooler, with an operational life of more than 17,000 hours, the camera module can provide years of service without the need for maintenance.
Field-proven with more than a million hours of successful operation, the ZafiroTM640 has been embedded for commercial use in DRS Technologies‘ WatchMaster™ Pro+ system. “Highly secured commercial enterprises, as well as regional, state and local law-enforcement agencies, now have access to the same lightweight, energy-saving thermal technology that has supported the missions of our nation‘s military forces,” says RSTA President Terry Murphy. “With the ZafiroTM640, we further extend our thermal imaging leadership into commercial markets, and are confident that America‘s innovation-driven manufacturers will rely on the ZafiroTM640 in developing many new applications that require the advantages of thermal imagery.”