Solving Thermal Limitations for Emergency and First-Response UAVs

Daniel Litwin of The Voice of B2B hosted Randall Warnas, Global sUAS Segment Leader with FLIR, to discuss drone thermal payload technology.  The pair looked at the use of thermal imaging technology today, its limitations, and the future of the technology across a variety of applications.  

Warnas explained that thermal imaging technology has become a vital tool for firefighting, search and rescue, and law enforcement.  The ability to gather thermal information from an unmanned aerial perspective is critical when terrain obstacles prevent vehicles and personnel from entering an area.  The thermal technology itself enables the expedited gathering of information, day or night, that could prove instrumental in the saving of lives.

Thermal drone technology has an ever growing list of success stories, but there are limitations and areas of improvement.  “I think the limitations behind drones right now is going to be regulatory, but it’s also flight time,” Warnas said. He continued by stating the challenge was to “shrink down size, weight, and power consumption of payloads.”

Another limitation is the thermal imaging resolution.  Many handheld temperature reading devices have an accuracy within 2 degrees.  Measuring temperature from a distance in an aerial setting presents a sizable challenge.  Even so, drone thermal readings can be accurate to +/- 5 degrees, which is still suitable for the majority of applications.

Litwin and Warnas also discussed FLIR’s Hadron module, a thermal imaging technology meant for OEM integration.  The idea is to enable a broader number of aerial platforms to use high resolution thermal technology to greatly expand the applications for this powerful innovation.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Commerce media
A Look at the Rise of Commerce Media Networks: How Nift Helps Brands Own How Their Message Shows Up
July 2, 2025

As traditional digital advertising struggles to retain consumer trust, brands are exploring new, more authentic ways to connect with shoppers. Platforms like commerce media networks, which weave together commerce, content, and data, are emerging as powerful tools in this shift. Research from MG2 Advisory reveals that only about 37% of consumers feel brands genuinely…

Read More
Hospitality leadership
Heart-First Hospitality Leadership: How Saying ‘Yes’ Transforms Guest Experiences, Boosts Staff Morale, and Drives Business Results
July 2, 2025

As the hospitality industry emerges from years of pandemic-driven upheaval, hospitality leadership is evolving to meet new challenges. Leaders are looking for new ways to retain staff, elevate guest satisfaction, and drive revenue without burning out their teams. One trend gaining traction is the power of “Yes”: empowering employees to say yes more often,…

Read More
civic leadership
Mayor Gerard Hudspeth’s Civic Leadership Journey: What Politics Teaches About People
July 2, 2025

What does a mayor learn about human nature? In this episode of Professional Quotient: Conversations that Build Equity, host Jason Winningham sits down with Gerard Hudspeth, longtime mayor of Denton, Texas, and a respected figure in civic leadership. Drawing from his years in public service, Hudspeth explores how leading a city reveals the core…

Read More
sepsis
Debunking Sepsis Myths – Episode 1
July 1, 2025

In the first episode of The Michael Rothman podcast, we address misconceptions about sepsis in healthcare. Although it’s often claimed that sepsis accounts for nearly a third of hospital deaths, many of these deaths are linked to chronic conditions with sepsis as a secondary factor. The frequently cited statistic that delays in treating sepsis increase…

Read More