Thermal Sight

Thermal Imaging Sight Product Description

Thermal imaging sight is a sighting/observation device designed for weapon platforms (guns, artillery, etc.) that integrates thermal imaging technology. It detects the infrared radiation (heat) emitted by the target itself, converts it into a visible thermal image and projects it onto the eyepiece or display screen, allowing the shooter to clearly find, identify, aim at and strike the target in extreme environments such as complete darkness, smoke, mist, sand and dust, jungle cover, etc. where the naked eye and low-light night vision goggles are ineffective.

Core functions and features:

1. All-weather/all-dark combat capability:

1.1 Core value: Break through light limitations and provide 24-hour combat capability. It does not rely on ambient light and can clearly image in absolute darkness or severe visual obstruction.

2. Passive covert detection:

2.1 It does not emit any visible light or active infrared beams (unlike laser sights or active infrared night vision devices), but only passively receives the target's thermal radiation, which is highly concealed and not easily discovered by enemy countermeasures.

3. Penetrating smoke/partial obstruction:

3.1 It can effectively penetrate common smoke, dust, some vegetation (leaves, grass) and lightweight camouflage nets on the battlefield, revealing the personnel, vehicles or equipment hidden behind them.

4. Anti-camouflage capability:

4.1 Traditional visual camouflage (camouflage uniforms, paint) has limited effect on thermal imaging. Living things (people, animals) and running machinery (vehicles, generators) will be clearly visible due to the temperature difference between them and the environment.

5. Rapid target acquisition and identification:

5.1 Provides clear thermal contrast images, allowing the shooter to quickly identify potential threats (such as ambushes, armored contours) in complex backgrounds.

6. Precision aiming:

6.1 Integrated aiming scale (crosshairs, dots, etc.), usually with electronic zeroing function, allows the shooter to quickly calibrate the weapon at different distances and environments. Some high-end models support automatic ranging and trajectory calculation.

7. Ergonomics and weapon integration:

7.1 Designed to be rugged and durable, it can withstand the strong recoil when the weapon is fired (shock resistance/high overload resistance).

7.2 It is usually installed on a standard rail (such as Picatinny rail/Picatinny), which is convenient for quick disassembly and assembly.

7.3 The size and weight are optimized to avoid excessive impact on weapon balance and maneuverability.

7.4 The operation button design is convenient for use with gloves.

8. Image processing and display:

8.1 High frame rate: Usually a high refresh rate (>30Hz, up to 60Hz at the high end) is required to ensure smooth and smear-free images when moving targets and moving quickly.

8.2 Multiple color palettes: Provide pseudo-color modes such as white hot, black hot, red hot, and rainbow to adapt to different environments and personal preferences.

8.3 Digital zoom: Enlarge image details for easy identification at a distance.

8.4 High contrast and detail enhancement: Optimized algorithms improve the distinction between targets and backgrounds.

8.5 Display/eyepiece: Use high-brightness, low-latency microdisplay or OLED eyepieces to ensure fast response and clear sighting.

Main advantages:

1. Subvert the rules of the night battlefield: Give the user a significant tactical advantage at night and in harsh environments.

2. Improve situational awareness and survivability: Detect threats in advance, avoid ambushes, and enhance the battlefield survivability of individual soldiers and teams.

3. Improve strike efficiency and accuracy: Achieve effective and accurate shooting under conditions where visual vision is not possible.

4. Enhance concealment: The passive working mode is not easy to expose its own position.

5. Multi-target/multi-scenario applicability: Applicable to a variety of platforms such as infantry light weapons, sniper rifles, squad weapons, and vehicle-mounted weapons.

Typical application scenarios:

1. Military and defense:

1.1 Night patrol, reconnaissance and surveillance

1.2 Target search, identification and indication

1.3 Precision shooting (rifle, sniper rifle)

1.4 Close combat (CQB)

1.5 Vehicle driving and weapon station sighting

1.6 Counter-terrorism and special operations

2. Law enforcement and security:

2.1 Night law enforcement and arrest operations

2.2 Border and key facility patrols

2.3 Hostage rescue

2.4 Search for fugitives (especially in the wild and built-up areas)

3. Hunting (within the scope of legal permission):

3.1 Night hunting (wild boars, vermin, etc.)

3.2 Searching for injured prey after hunting

4. Specific security areas:

4.1 Night guarding of high-value assets

Key performance parameters and considerations:

1. Core detector performance:

1.1 Resolution: such as 384x288, 640x480, 1024x768. The higher the resolution, the clearer the image, the longer the recognition distance, and the more expensive the price.

1.2 Thermal sensitivity: a measure of the ability to detect small temperature differences (NETD), the smaller the value, the better (such as <25mK). Directly affects image quality and target details.

1.3 Pixel spacing: affects sensitivity and resolution.

1.4 Detector type: uncooled (mainstream, fast startup, low power consumption, low cost) or cooled (extremely high sensitivity, long detection distance, but high cost, slow startup, high power consumption, large size).

2. Optical system:

2.1 Objective lens focal length: determines the field of view (FOV) and detection and recognition distance. Short focal length (wide angle) is suitable for close/moving targets; long focal length (narrow angle) is suitable for long-distance observation.

2.2 Lens aperture: affects the amount of light entering and resolution.

2.3 Lens material: must be able to transmit a specific infrared band (such as 8-14μm).

3. System performance:

3.1 Detection/recognition/identification distance: The effective distance for detecting, roughly identifying (whether it is a person or a car), and clearly identifying (specific model) standard targets (such as human figures, vehicles). It is greatly affected by resolution, sensitivity, lens focal length, atmospheric conditions, etc.

3.2 Refresh rate: The higher the better (>30Hz is the basis, 60Hz is better), to ensure that dynamic scenes are clear and smooth.

3.3 Electronic magnification: digital zoom capability.

3.4 Zeroing and ballistic functions: the convenience of electronic zeroing, whether ballistic solution is supported, and multiple bullet files.

3.5 Distance measurement function: whether a laser rangefinder (LRF) is integrated, and how accurate it is.

4. Environmental adaptability:

4.1 Operating temperature range: must adapt to extreme cold and heat (e.g. -40°C to +60°C).

4.2 Protection level: high level of waterproof and dustproof (e.g. IP67/IP68).

4.3 Shock/vibration resistance: must be able to withstand the impact of weapon firing (e.g. MIL-STD-810G/H certification).

5. Battery life and power supply:

5.1 Battery type and battery life: usually rechargeable lithium batteries are used, and the battery life must meet the mission requirements (e.g. >8 hours).

5.2 Battery compartment design: whether it is easy to replace and whether it is compatible with universal batteries.

6. Human-computer interaction:

6.1 Display effect: eyepiece resolution, brightness, contrast, delay.

6.2 Operation interface: menu logic, button layout, whether it supports Bluetooth/APP control.

6.3 Data interface: video output (e.g. HDMI), Wi-Fi/Bluetooth (for image transmission and firmware upgrade).

Limitations:

1. High cost: High-performance military-grade products are extremely expensive.

2. Inability to "see through" entities: cannot penetrate dense objects such as walls and thick metal plates.

3. Affected by the environment: Extreme high temperature, high humidity, heavy rain, dense fog, and heavy snow will significantly shorten the effective detection distance and reduce image quality.

4. Thermal contrast dependence: When the temperature difference between the target and the background is too small (such as the human body in hot weather), the detection and identification difficulty increases.

5. Difficulty in cold target identification: The detection ability of cold targets close to the ambient temperature (such as cooled engines and people who have been stationary for a long time) is reduced.

6. Glass blocking: Ordinary glass is not transparent to infrared rays, and it is impossible to observe the interior through the window.

7. Power consumption and weight: High performance means relatively high power consumption and weight (compared with white light scopes).

8. Image interpretation: Thermal images are very different from visible light images, and some training is required to interpret them quickly and accurately.

Summary:

Thermal imaging scope is a revolutionary force multiplier for modern soldiers and weapon platforms. It perfectly integrates the core advantages of thermal imaging technology - all-weather, passive covert detection, penetration of smoke/light cover, and anti-camouflage - into the weapon aiming system, completely changing the rules of night combat and combat in harsh environments. Its core value lies in giving shooters the ability to "see, aim accurately, and hit" in an environment where "human eyes fail", greatly improving combat effectiveness, survivability and tactical advantages. With the continuous advancement of detector technology, image processing and artificial intelligence algorithms, thermal imaging scopes are rapidly developing in the direction of smaller, lighter, farther, clearer, smarter, and more integrated (such as integration with visible light/low light), and will continue to play a vital role on future battlefields.