Hot off the wire: There’s a cool new addition to FLIR’s M-Series line of multisensor thermal-imaging cameras. FLIR today announced the M500 now offers a cryogenically cooled thermal camera to its quiver of possible payloads. Cooled thermal is the cutting edge of this technology, mostly seen in military and commercial applications, and typically reserved for the highest end of the yacht spectrum. The M-Series is the groundbreaking pan-and-tilt device that put FLIR on the hardtop of many a yacht in your marina, with its shape designed in seeming homage to R2-D2 from Star Wars. The cooled Mid Wave Infrared device has a 640- by 512-pixel resolution, which allows it detect very small variations in temperature. The M500 also carries a 14X optical zoom lens. To the helmsman, this combination means better image clarity and sharper images that help make target identification easier under pressure in low-light conditions. The upshot, better situational awareness and collision avoidance—and potentially even faster recovery of a man overboard. When coupled with a built-in high-definition visible-light camera, the FLIR M500 offers a full suite of tools to improve navigational awareness. Video tracking allows easy monitoring of a target. While FLIR is initially targeting superyachts, commercial vessels, and first responders for this device, its introduction signals a breakthrough for boaters. Things could be cooling off for more yachts soon.flir.com
