FV-300 the Basis for Several Further Developments
On 26 June Argentine company Fixview demonstrated its FV-300 – a gyrostabilized turret designed to carry a wide range of sensors, from diurnal and infrared cameras to laser rangefinders and designators – to the Argentine armed forces.
Demonstrated on a Bell 407 on this occasion, the FV-300 has already been certified for use on other helicopters. The version showcased in June featured two optical cameras, an infrared camera and a laser rangefinder.
The FV-300 will be an integrated component of the Pod de Observación Aérea (Aerial Observation Pod) to be installed on the IA-58H PUCARA, and will also feature on VIGIA 1A unmanned aerial system (UAS) under development by the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA -Argentine Air Force).
Marcelo Butteler, Fixview’s CEO, explained that the company has focused on developing a system with improved capabilities, compared with those currently on the market, making it easier to install, lighter, drawing less electrical power from the aircraft and making installation on lighter aircraft possible. Also, he stressed, maintenance and operation is very simple.
The company is also working on a programme for security forces to add augmented reality, so that information such as street names and numbers can be displayed when the operator aims the camera at a specific point in a city, for example.
Santiago Rivas and Florencia Lucero Heguy