You’ve probably seen the numerous videos that the Roswell Flight Test Crew has put together on YouTube, and for good reason. Whether they’re showcasing new products from events like CES or drone demos that are focused on public safety applications, the crew always has something for anyone interested in taking a drone into the air.

Their recent interview with FLIR CEO Andy Teich was a great illustration of the issues that UAV operators are most concerned about. Patrick Sherman from the Roswell Flight Test Crew discussed a wide range of topics with Teich, which included everything from the one-year anniversary of the Zenmuse XT to the announcement at CES of the Duo and the Duo R as well as what the company is looking to focus on as it moves forward.

One concept that kept coming up over and over in their discussion was around FLIR’s dedication to driving down the size, weight, power and cost of thermal imaging cameras. It’s not just idle talk for FLIR though, as Teich showed the differences in sizes between their Tau camera core with the Lepton thermal imaging sensor, and the distinctions are considerable.

Sherman noted that FLIR is now a drone company after their acquisition of Prox Dynamics, which brought the Black Hornet into the FLIR product family. That kind of acquisition is often an indication where things are headed for a company, and Sherman asked Teich directly about their intentions to move beyond sensors and how they did or didn’t want to move forward with a drone platform.

Explaining their thought process both in terms of horizontal and vertical technology, Teich highlighted the fact that what’s most important to FLIR and their customers is the data. They don’t want to simply provide a flying machine. They want to deliver a complete solution that allows someone to get the job done. It’s a concept that’s come up for various professionals in various industries, since many people are now far more focused on what they can do with the data gathered by a drone rather than the drone itself.

Watch the video below to hear what the two discuss about what else is in store for FLIR, how FLIR approaches providing value for their customers and plenty more.

 

&feature=youtu.be