AUSA 2021: Logos Technologies Showcases BlackKite Pod for Day/Night, Wide-Area Surveillance

Lightweight, Infrared, wide-area sensor system can be mounted to planes, tactical UAVs, and helicopters

FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Logos Technologies LLC, a pioneer in wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) systems, will be showcasing its new infrared BlackKite Pod for defense and border security at the AUSA Annual Meeting, in Washington, D.C. This will mark the first time the ultra-light, airborne WAMI system has been displayed in the United States.

Weighing less than 38 pounds (17.2 kg), the BlackKite Pod is the externally mounted, platform-flexible version of BlackKite-I, the infrared WAMI sensor system fitted inside the payload bay of the Insitu Integrator unmanned aircraft system (UAS), a version of which was developed as Cardcounter for U.S. Marine RQ-21A Blackjacks.

“Whether riding inside the Blackjack or carried on other aircraft in a pod, BlackKite is a game-changer for operators in the field,” said Doug Rombough, VP of Business Development for Logos Technologies. “A single unit can monitor in real time an area up to twelve square kilometers in size—day and night.”

Able to fly on a wide range of planes, helicopters, and UAS, the BlackKite Pod images objects on the ground in medium resolution, which is enough to track every vehicle within its vast field of view, as well as detect moving dismounts. Should a user need to make a positive identification, they can cue a collocated high-resolution full-motion video camera to take a closer look.

BlackKite also records and stores all the imagery it collects (up to 12 hours currently), allowing forensic analysts to “go back in time” and uncover hidden connections between people, vehicles, and places.

“With a sensor like this, you can tackle a lot of mission sets that, previously, were beyond the reach of the tactical commander,” Rombough said. “For example, the BlackKite Pod can be used for force protection, route reconnaissance, and persistent surveillance. Beyond that, it can also support firefighting and border security operations.”

Logos Technologies will be displaying the BlackKite pod and other sensor systems at Booth #1143, at the Association of the United States Annual Meeting, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, October 11-13.

About Logos Technologies

Founded in 1996, Logos Technologies LLC is a diversified science, engineering, and technology company specializing in the fields of advanced sensors, wide-area motion imagery, advanced analytics, and processing of large, multisource datasets. Logos serves government customers, including the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and Department of Homeland Security, as well as a range of customers in commercial and international markets.