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Chopper Wars
by Jacques Arnet
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FLIR (Forward looking infra-red) systems have
been known as tools of the trade for airborne government and
police agencies exclusively, up till now. The following scenario
reflects how a production company recently came to be the first
to use this system for production use.
"Breaking News" flashes across
the TV screen in the production office. A cadre of news choppers
follows a stolen car as it screams along the 101 freeway weaving
in and out of the slower traffic. Eventually the car crashes
and the driver attempts to flee into the night. The scene shifts
to a grainy black and white image carrying the caption "Police
FLIR Video". The scene is still dark; however the bright
glowing image of the running suspect can easily be seen through
the undergrowth. We return to the news chopper view as the cops
surround the hiding suspect and bring him out into the glare
of a Nightsun light.
Suddenly the director jumps up and screams, "That's
what I want! Except I want the real image to turn into the infra-red
image right on the screen!" The DP and his aerial camera
crew exchange glances, trying to imagine how to create the impossible.
In the pause of conversation, the 1st A.C. steps forward, and
begins to share his knowledge of a piece of equipment called
the FSI Ultra 4000.
Succinctly put, the FSI Ultra 4000, is a gyrostabilized
aerial camera platform supporting a dual sensor system incorporating
color video and monochrome infra-red imaging. The video imaging
is accomplished through a high quality three chip color camera.
The infra-red imaging is made possible with the FLIR Systems,
Inc. SAFIRE high performance, high resolution, digital thermal
imager specifically designed for airborne applications.
The Ball Mount or "sensor platform" is
a three-axis design, affording completely gyrostabilized movement
within elevation and azimuth. The Field-0f-View (FOV) for the
system is +15( to -85( in elevation and continuous azimuth control
throughout 360 degrees of rotation
The FSI Ultra 4000's hardware consists of
three basic components:
The Interface Unit is the central point for
the FSI Ultra 4000 system, routing the system command signals
from the Control Panel to the Ball Mount and returns status information
for display on a monitor. The unit operates off of ship's power
or batteries (28VDC) and distributes power to the other components
of the system.
The Control Panel is a light weight lap-top
unit that provides the main system control. A joystick is used
for controlling the dual sensor platform within the Ball Mount's
line of sight, with adjustment controls to compensate for drift.
Switches are provided for control of other discrete functions.
The FSI Ultra 4000's software provides the
following:
The system is menu driven allowing preset instructions,
such as default focus, to be carried out "hands off" while
in flight. The video controls are standard in that they contain
focus, zoom, and 2x magnification. The iris is automatically
controlled and requires no operator input. The IR sensor controls
provide for much "customization" of the IR image.
The system allows for "electronic zoom" (that is
not a "ramping zoom) through three focal lengths. WFOV (Wide
Field of View) provides an image of 26( horizontal by 16.8( vertical,
comparable to a 45 mm lens used in 35mm cinematography. NFOV
(Narrow Field of View) provides an image of 5( horizontal by
3( vertical, comparable to a 200 mm lens used in 35mm cinematography.
A X2 electronic zoom will display an enhanced NFOV of 2.5( horizontal
by 1.5( degrees vertical. Additionally this system features a "polarity
control". This allows the heat generating objects to be
white against a dark background or black against a light background.
A separate Beta or Hi8 deck must be rented
to record the imagery. As with any video recording deck in a
helicopter, it should never be placed on the floor or a hard
surface as the transmitted vibration will affect the heads and
possibly render the recording useless
Aircraft Type and Installation:
The Bell 206B Jet Ranger or the Bell 206L Long
Ranger series is the preferred aircraft for the installation
of the FSI Ultra 4000. Best results are obtained by mounting
the Ball Mount on the side of the ship, which allows for use
of a nose mounted Nightsun light as in a "Police Configuration".
However the ball may be nose mounted. It is possible to mount
the FSI Ultra 4000 to a Hughes 500 or an A-Star AS350 or Twin
Star AS355. In all cases, Tyler Camera Systems, the L.A. based
agent, should be consulted on the selection of the aircraft type
and mount availability.
Installation of the FSI Ultra 4000 should only
be performed by a qualified technician. Tyler Camera Systems
maintains a list of who is qualified to install the FSI Ultra
4000. Side mounting of the Ultra 400 to Jet Rangers or Long Rangers
takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour. Nose mounting, or
mounting on other helicopters takes at least 2 hours. These times
are, of course, approximate and may vary with each aircraft's
configuration.
Set Up and Operation:
As with any new and unique piece of equipment,
a certain amount of familiarity can only be achieved through
practice. If you are going to operate the Ultra 4000, contact
Tyler Camera Systems once the equipment is booked and a trained
technician will spend time with you and "take you through" the
set up and operation of the system. As with all equipment at
Tyler Camera Systems, Tyler encourages SOC members to become
proficient in using this unique camera system.
The gyros take only a few moments to get up
to speed: however the super-cooled germanium plate, the heart
of the IR system, requires about ten minutes to achieve the required
temperature for operation. This time can be used for "ground
rehearsals" and review your familiarity with the controls
by using the "video mode". Do not become airborne
until a clear monochrome picture appears in the IR mode and you
are completely familiar with the controls and their responses.
For further information, regarding the FSI
Ultra 4000 contact Tyler Camera Systems. (818) 989-4420.
The author, Jacques Arnet, is an associate
member of SOC and is an aerial camera equipment technician.
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