Police Helicopter Searchlight

[Anigmalistic]

Thanks for the advice. We are looking at a Francis FX 560 RC now... 560mm lens, 3000 watts (although they make them up to 15kw!!) 150 million candlepower and visible at 13km! I would say that is a pretty awesome light... pity it needs a 400v 3-phase supply or I would get one for my car.

Thanks again CandlePower guys

P.

 

[DM51]

I think you'll find the primary systems on most Police/military helicopters nowadays are IR, coupled with real-time video capture. They're able to detect temperature differences of 0.1degC, and the advantage is that the person being lit up and filmed doesn't realise he's on Candid Camera, as IR light is invisible to the naked eye.

Quite often you'll see police helicopters circling around with a big white light pointing somewhere; but you can guarantee that is just a deception tactic to confuse the person they are tracking - the real light, the IR one, is locked on to where the real action is, and the perp won't have any clue about it until Officer Krupke grabs him by his shirt-collar.

 

[Turboman7]

Last Night I saw a Police Helicopter hovering around my area for about 5mins. It's spotlight was KILLER. Amazing, so bright & visable even 100's of meters away on flood.

At first It was only using 1 big flood beam, then on its second pass it had 3 seperate beams. One center flood, with 2 very bright narrow beams searching the ground. I saw its flood beam light up some distance trees (about 150M away) like daytime.

I wanted (BUT I WOULD NOT REALLY) to get me 20mill & shine it straight up in the sky NOT NEAR the helicopter in a hope to get the helicopter's attention, so it would shine it's light at me. Just to see my backyard turn to day. But Im shore id get in trouble for that.

Anyone know what kind of monster light these helicopters are using? Maybe they made 2 maxablasters for it?:huh:

Later.

Take a look at this one! I've been drooling and watching this one for quite a while.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...9056173&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MESINDXX:IT

 

[Lips]

I think you'll find the primary systems on most Police/military helicopters nowadays are IR, coupled with real-time video capture. They're able to detect temperature differences of 0.1degC, and the advantage is that the person being lit up and filmed doesn't realise he's on Candid Camera, as IR light is invisible to the naked eye.

Quite often you'll see police helicopters circling around with a big white light pointing somewhere; but you can guarantee that is just a deception tactic to confuse the person they are tracking - the real light, the IR one, is locked on to where the real action is, and the perp won't have any clue about it until Officer Krupke grabs him by his shirt-collar.

Here's a marine light with IR built-in also installed on a police boat, pretty neat but it's $23,000: Nighthunter II

short video of it installed on patroll boat: (double click on bottom left photo)
http://brmes.com/searchlights.html



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[Echo63]

I went out and had a chat with the crew from the local police chopper a few months ago.

They rarely use the nightsun except for pointing stuff out to ground based units.

They do have a ir laser for covertly pointing stuff out, and it can be slaved to the gps/navigation system.
Basically google maps with a big green beam to follow.

The FLIR gear, and night vision equipment is very cool too, the NVGs they fly with turn from night to what looks like daytime, looking through toilet rolls with green cellophane over the end

I would love a night sun though, along with a 60" carbon arc light

 

[river rock]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stearns-Black-Multi-Mount-Spotlight/10727540 mount that to your car 1 million candle power plugs in to your 12v plug in your car and only $40