Thermal Infrared Sensor Design Considerations for Counter-UAS Defense
WhitepaperJanuary 27, 2026
The use of small, low‑cost drones has rapidly expanded across military and public safety environments, creating an urgent need for effective Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) solutions.
This paper outlines how EO/IR sensors form the backbone of the C-UAS kill chain, and compares the trade‑offs between lower‑cost imaging systems and high‑performance, multi‑sensor architectures. It highlights the challenges of long‑range detection, where drones may appear as only a few pixels, and performance is constrained by the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). The paper also emphasizes the limitations of both classical MTI and AI‑based object detection at the edge of visibility. Finally, it underscores the essential role of advanced Image Signal Processing (ISP) in improving SNR, stabilizing low‑contrast targets, and extending effective detection and tracking range.
