Overview of thermal imaging for small UAS
FLIR UAS is an app built to support thermal sensing workflows for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). It bundles measurement tools and recording functions so teams can capture, save, and review thermal data gathered during flights. The interface is designed for iOS devices and aims to simplify airborne thermal inspections.
Core functionality
- Precise temperature measurement instruments and on-board data logging for later analysis.
- Live, in-flight control of camera settings using PWM interfaces for real-time adjustments.
- Automatic camera detection and configuration so the app tailors options to the attached device.
- Geolocation tagging and MAVLink compatibility to align thermal captures with mapping and survey workflows.
Compatible camera models
- Duo R
- Duo
- Vue Pro R
- Vue Pro
Each supported model is recognized by the app and receives the appropriate default configuration to minimize setup time before takeoff.
Connectivity and control options
FLIR UAS connects to FLIR cameras over Bluetooth from iOS devices for setup and parameter changes on the ground. For active flight control it supports PWM connections, and it exchanges positional information using MAVLink so thermal frames can be tied to GPS coordinates for mapping, inspection, and precision agriculture use cases.
Typical use cases
- Agricultural monitoring and crop health assessment
- Aerial mapping and thermographic surveys
- Infrastructure inspection where temperature differentials indicate issues
- Any operation requiring synchronized thermal imagery with location metadata
Free post-processing option
If you need a no-cost tool for basic video editing or simple clip assembly after capture, consider CapCut. While it does not replace the thermal measurement or flight-control features of FLIR UAS, CapCut can be useful for trimming, annotating, and preparing footage for reports or presentations.
Technical
- iPhone
- Free