Hood Tech Cameras Go To Chilly North

Aug. 11, 2011 - PRLog -- Press Release
From:  Hood Tech Corp Vision, Inc., Hood River, Oregon
Date:  August 11, 2011
Subject:  Hood Tech Cameras Go To Chilly North
Contact:  Lars Bergstrom, AltiCam Vision, 541-490-9099, lars@hoodtech.com

According to Matthew Fisher of Postmedia News (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/canada-in-afghanistan/Canada+deploys+unmanned+drones+Arctic+military+exercise/5207018/story.html), “Canada is deploying unmanned surveillance aircraft to the High Arctic for the first time, as part of the largest military exercise ever in the Far North.”  And integral parts of the UAVs being used are Hood Technology Corp Vision, Inc.’s (Hood Tech’s) imaging systems, in a military exercise involving “unarmed drones similar to those used by the Canadian army for surveillance in Afghanistan (which) are to assist in a major air disaster scenario in an extremely remote area near Resolute, which is about 3,000 kilometres north of Ottawa.  They will also assist in a major maritime disaster exercise being overseen by the Canadian Coast Guard in waters between Canada and Greenland.”

“It's precedent setting. There will be small UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) in the High Arctic," Defence Minister Peter MacKay said in an interview. "They are a harbinger of things to come.”
Mr. Fisher goes on about Operation Nanook, which began August 5 to “last more than three weeks…(involving) three Canadian naval vessels led by the frigate, HMCS St. John's, (which) set out from Newfoundland for Baffin Bay where they will rendezvous with a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker.
“About 1,100 sailors, soldiers and air personnel, including Special Forces and aboriginal forces known as Canadian Rangers, will join about 200 sailors from the coast guard — who have long experience in Arctic waters — for the exercise. The drones will provide data to two companies of infantry from Alberta and Quebec who will be assisting with the air and maritime search-and-rescue operations. Other Canadian military participants include CF-18 Hornet fighter jets and manned surveillance and transport aircraft and helicopters.”
“…Three Danish navy ships and an icebreaker from the U.S. Coast Guard have accepted invitations from Canada to take part in the exercise.”
Hood Tech designs and manufactures imaging and video processing systems for small tactical UAVs.  More than 500,000 hours of combat use in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places demonstrate the reliability and utility of Hood Tech imaging products.
Hood Tech continues to develop new and better imaging systems and their associated communication connections, so that military and civilian users alike can rely on accurate and timely information.  The imaging systems provided by Hood Tech feature full pan, tilt, zoom, and roll capability, with fields of view from two to 57 degrees.
Hood Technology (www.hoodtech.com) was founded by Dr. Andy von Flotow in Hood River in 1993.  In addition to imaging systems for UAVs, Hood Technology develops, tests, and manufactures launch and retrieval systems for UAVs and monitors blade vibrations in industrial turbines and jet engines, a diagnostic method for predicting possible future failures.

# # #

Hood Technology Corp. Vision, Inc. (Hood Tech) designs and manufactures imaging and video processing systems for manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), boats, land vehicles, and stationary mounts.