Norcon Technologies

Infrared sensors used for thermal imaging, night vision, and heat detection can no longer depend on materials that are dense, non-scalable, or are mined in countries that threaten availability. For military applications especially, the need for light weight, low-cost infrared (IR) optics – that also are readily obtained – has never been more pressing. Single-use strike drones can navigate precisely to their targets in daytime or when they can illuminate their targets without compromising their position. Currently, however, IR sensors are too heavy, expensive, and scarce to be deployed on attritable platforms. As a result, until there are low SWaP-C IR sensors, strike drones will continue to fall short of their full potential for operation at night or in other unlit environments. 

For attritable strike drones to realize their full potential in unlit environments, IR sensors need to be light weight and low cost.  In the new era of warfare now emerging, thermal imaging experts view Polycalc optics as capable of providing “first mover” advantage.