Using the Flir Navigator II to see through the dark—recreational boaters, light commercial operators and on-the-water law enforcement units have been using this thermal imaging night vision technology to turn night into day.
It was only about 10 years ago that earlier generations of thermal imaging systems began helping Coast Guard air and sea units interdict bandits and drug runners in the dark of night. Before this technology took hold the good guys were at a disadvantage.
The FLIR Navigator II thermal imaging camera comes in two models, fixed mount or pan and tilt.
Flir Systems, Inc., designer, builder and marketer of thermal imaging cameras to both military and commercial users introduced the infrared Navigator II camera system aimed directly at the marine recreational market. This state-of-the-art thermal imager comes in two versions, fixed and pan/tilt.
Infrared Basics
Regular photographic cameras use reflected light to create an image while infrared cameras like the Navigator II radiated thermal energy, or heat, to generate an image. The electromagnetic spectrum which is made up of everything from gamma rays to radio waves also contains a very small visible light spectrum and the infrared spectrum.
Wavelength variation is the only real difference between any of these energy waves. Infrared energy has a slightly longer wavelength than the visible light spectrum. An infrared imaging camera sees differences in the heat energy from the objects in its field of view.
If everything in the frame were exactly the same temperature, no contrast would exist so no image would be produced. In the real world, a variety of objects, create their own heat signatures, people and engines come to mind&mdsah;while other objects only reflect stored heat energy. Thermal imaging cameras detect objects that reflect heat and those that generate their own heat.
Flir Navigator II Fixed
The fixed mount version of the Navigator II ships with a fully-marinized camera that stands just over 7-inches tall and requires a flat area about 4-inches in diameter for mounting. Accompanying the camera is an on/off switch, 25-feet of cable connecting the camera and switch, 25-feet of video cable, and mounting hardware.
Mounting the camera and its associated hardware is fairly straightforward. If needed the video cable can be extended in 25-foot increments out to 100 feet. Wiring the unit involves connecting it to a 12v DC power supply and hooking up the video cable to a capable display.
It is always best to mount the camera itself as high as possible, o