Exelis releases first nighttime infrared imagery from CorvusEye 1500 wide-area airborne system

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Exelis XLS released the first nighttime imagery taken by the CorvusEye 1500™ wide-area airborne system. The image, taken using a mid-wave infrared (IR) sensor, depicts cars and pedestrians in downtown Rochester.

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From an altitude of 15,000 feet over a 1-square-mile area of Rochester, the nighttime picture shows a level of detail and context unavailable with comparable systems. Exelis launched the IR sensor in October 2014 as a companion to the daytime electro-optical sensor released in May. Now, CorvusEye offers full 24/7 airborne surveillance capability for a variety of commercial and government applications. The CorvusEye system is an example of a product Exelis offers as part of its strategic focus on intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and analytics.

"The advantage of CorvusEye is that it provides context from the air for situations that may be dangerous or inaccessible on the ground – and it can do it day or night," said Dwight Greenlee, Exelis director of regional surveillance. "Most traditional airborne imaging systems can zoom in to provide coverage of an area about the size of two football fields. The important activity could be happening outside of this limited view. CorvusEye covers an area 200 times greater than most systems. It can generate up to 10 high-resolution views of different areas of interest simultaneously, which can give law enforcement, military or border patrol personnel the relevant information they need to act."

The CorvusEye system complements traditional video surveillance systems and captures high-resolution, visible color and IR motion imagery during the day and night over a wide area up to 1.24 miles in diameter. It can track movement that may be connected to potentially hazardous or illicit activity. At 15 inches in diameter and weighing less than 95 pounds, the CorvusEye turret and sensor package can fit on most mid-size unmanned and manned aircraft and uses standard interfaces to swap into virtually any 15-inch airframe mounting location. CorvusEye provides real-time processing and is exportable to many military, intelligence and security customers around the world.

About Exelis

Exelis is a diversified, top-tier global aerospace, defense, information and services company that leverages a 50-year legacy of deep customer knowledge and technical expertise to deliver affordable, mission-critical solutions for global customers. Exelis is a leader in positioning and navigation, sensors, air traffic management solutions, image processing and distribution, communications and information systems; and focused on strategic growth in the areas of critical networks, ISR and analytics, electronic warfare and composite aerostructures. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Exelis employs approximately 10,000 people and generated 2014 sales of approximately $3.25 billion. For more information, visit our website at www.exelisinc.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.