Canada-based Viking Air is now offering a wide area optical radar payload from unmanned platform and sensor provider Ideas at Sea as optional equipment on its Twin Otter Guardian 400 special mission aircraft. The two companies are commencing sensor integration with a view to presenting options to customers in early 2020.

Ideas at Sea will be working with Viking's integrator and principal tour partner, Airborne Technologies of Austria, to house the Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) payload and create day/night 180 degree wide area surveillance options for operators of Viking's Guardian 400.

The ViDAR software system, supplied by Sentient Vision Systems, is a wide area optical search system consisting of high-resolution sensors coupled with onboard automation software capable of detecting small objects over significant areas, allowing operators to map vast swathes of ocean in real time and dramatically extend aircraft coverage during search and rescue missions.

ViDAR works autonomously to find objects on the water's surface and send a thumbnail image and location coordinates back to the Guardian's CarteNav AIMS mission system. The AIMS mission system software then processes the imagery and data from the sensors to enhance situational awareness and provide geo-referenced local operating pictures that enable the operator to initiate a slew to the object with the Hensoldt Argos EO/IR imaging turret.

“Viking's Guardian 400 is the perfect platform for our optical radar solutions, and we are committed to providing cost effective, best-in-class capability to the aircraft's operators,” says Ideas at Sea founder and chairman David Willems. “We are looking forward to extending the capability of the ViDAR system already installed on the demonstrator aircraft to include a more modular payload to better meet the wide-ranging needs of special mission operators.”

“The Guardian 400 has a unique set of performance capabilities and provides incredible versatility to its customers,” adds Viking global sales director for special mission aircraft Peter Walker. “Ideas at Sea provides an additional complement to our existing partners through the modular configuration options its optical payload can provide.”