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Kestrel Block II

Kestrel Block II

Lightweight, Wide-Area Motion Imagery for Aerostats

The next generation of the Kestrel wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) system, the Kestrel Block II — like its battlefield-proven predecessor — can detect and track multiple vehicles and dismounts moving over a city-sized area, 24 hours a day, for weeks at a time. The Block II is nearly half that weight of the original Kestrel, allowing it to be mounted on a wider range of aerostats. In addition, Kestrel Block II is exportable to international customers.

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Features:

  • Resolution optimized to track vehicles and detect moving dismounts
  • Unlimited pan and digital zoom within entire field of view
  • Ability to cue high-resolution full-motion video cameras for target identification
  • Motion imagery tagged, indexed, and archived for up to 30 days
  • Ruggedized system for easy operation and maintenance
  • Streaming video windows to support multiple sensor operators at once
  • User-defined “watchboxes” to provided sensor operators automated detection alerts

Kestrel WAMI sensors are rugged and easy to maintain, and since the first system deployed with U.S. forces in Afghanistan back in 2011, Kestrel systems have clocked more than 200,000 operational hours, protecting troops in and around forward operating bases.

Mission Sets:

  • Base protection
  • Force protection
  • Patrol/route reconnaissance and overwatch
  • Border security
  • Disaster relief/humanitarian assistance support
  • Sporting or large event security
  • Logistical hub protection
  • Counter-smuggling missions
  • Counter-terrorism security
  • Pattern-of-life analysis
  • Anti-poaching monitoring

Customers for the Kestrel Block II WAMI system include both domestic and international government and commercial entities. For more information about Kestrel Block II, contact us.

Size, Weight, and Power

  • Sensor size: 18 in (46 cm) L x 18 in (46 cm) W x 27 in (69 cm) H
  • Sensor weight : < 85 lbs (40 kg)
  • Sensor power: 300 W
  • Sensor voltage: 28 VDC
  • GCS size: 16 – 27 u standard rack depth
  • GCS weight: 350 lbs (159 kg)
  • GCS power: ~ 2.5 kW

Performance

  • Area of coverage: 113 sq km at 3,000 ft (1,000 m) AGL
  • Effective pixel count: 8 cameras composing a 440 Mpx day/night mosaic
  • GSD (at 3,000 ft/1000 m) AGL): EO 35 cm at 3 km / 60 cm at 5 km IR 50 cm at 3 km / 90 cm at 5 km
  • Design operational altitude: 1,000 – 5,000 ft (300 – 1,500 m) AGL
  • Location accuracy: ~ 50 m geolocation capability
  • Angular coverage: 360 degrees
  • Rendered image stability: < 1 pixel
  • Spectrum: EO – monochrome, IR – MWIR/LWIR
  • Digital zoom: Yes
  • Refresh rate: 1 Hz
  • Remote operation capable: Yes
  • Cross-cueing: Yes
  • Number of clients/system: Up to 3 with option for expansion
  • Multiple viewer windows: Yes
  • Days of imagery storage: 3 days, expandable to 30 days

Support Documents

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Download Kestrel Block II Brochure Download Kestrel Block II Specifications Download Wide Area Systems Overview
  • Featured Videos

ABOUT KESTREL

The Kestrel day/night wide area persistent surveillance system is the only 360 degree wide area motion imagery system for aerostats. System capabilities are also configurable for manned and unmanned UAS/UAVs

Kestrel Operator View Video

The Kestrel day-night wide area persistent surveillance system is the only 360 degree wide area surveillance system for aerostats. This video demonstrates the operator interface, which allows operations to view any location within the city sized field of view, in both real time and in DVR mode. The four viewer windows allow you to watch current activity, while backtracking activities in another window. Panning and digital zoom is available anywhere within the field of view. Imagery storage is currently configured for 30 days, but can be increased as needed.

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