Moving Away from
Dedicated Downlinks
When LE helicopters first started sending live video and telemetry to ground- based officers, they did so over specific police channels received by proprietary ground stations.
This is still done today, but the times are changing. Thanks to advances in broadband wireless
communications, “I think
the newest trend is not having to have dedicated receive sites,” said APSA’s Schwarzbach. “Today, helicopter pilots can take what’s being seen on aircraft cameras and downlink it via cloud-based applications to users on smartphones and tablets in their patrol cars.”
As U.S. wireless telephone networks upgrade to 5G broadband capacities (up to 100 Gbps, which could be a hundred times faster than 4G), broadband data transfers between helicopters and the ground will become easier and more robust than ever before.
Advanced Electronics Catching On
White-phosphor NVGs aren’t the only advanced technology taking hold in LE helicopters. Modern all-glass cockpits plus state-of-the-art navigation, mission control, and thermal/multi-spectral imaging components are also making their way onto the flight deck. According to Tal Golan, Universal Avionics’ manager of rotorcraft business development, LE aviation units are seeking enhanced air-to-ground/air-to- air connectivity, integrated mission control, and advanced navigation. “Swift large data transfers are key,” he said. “Aerial and ground navigation integration are key too.”
Looking ahead, Golan expects LE helicop- ters to also “expand their operations to all weather operations. We believe it is inevi- table that the air-wing/flight department will incorporate pilot helmet-mounted displays combined with Enhanced Vision System.”
In this latter scenario, Golan said LE helicopter pilots will see real-time ADS-B data on their helmet-mounted displays, along with drone and other aircraft traffic in their vicinity with simplified navigation such as a “Fly By Sight” feature Universal Avionics will be offering in the future.
In the more immediate future, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department plans to add FLIR Systems’ Star SAFIRE 380- HDc cameras to its helicopter fleet. These camera gimbals offer 120-times optical magnification, a MWIR thermal imager, optional HD color and a low-light camera, among other features. “The picture quality on the FLIR 380-HD is just unreal,” said Deputy Darren Dollard. “It will enhance our ability to do our jobs.”
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May/June 2019
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