Target Recognition And AI-Based Autonomous Flight Control

Thermal Camera Target Recognition And AI-Based Autonomous Flight Control

2025-07-22 From Teledyne | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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The American company Dragoon Technologies uses the Prism Supervisor and the Prism SKR software from Teledyne Flir OEM in the prototype of its long-range unmanned aircraft platform.

Target recognition and AI-based autonomous flight control for the Dragoon Cinder—with Prism SKR and Prism Supervisor from Teledyne Flir OEM.(Image: Teledyne Flir OEM) — Target recognition and AI-based autonomous flight control for the Dragoon Cinder—with Prism SKR and Prism Supervisor from Teledyne Flir OEM.
(Image: Teledyne Flir OEM)

Dragoon Technologies, based in Tucson, Arizona, employs the systems for AI-driven object recognition, tracking, real-time autonomous flight control, and mission planning. The prototype is being developed and built as part of the Artemis project, an initiative of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the U.S. Department of Defense. The project aims to evaluate and deploy long-range loitering munitions that can be used in contested, electromagnetically charged environments and in large quantities.

Autonomous Applications in Complex Environments

Dragoon is one of the four companies in the Artemis project developing cost-effective, adaptable unmanned aerial systems (UAS) with long-range capabilities. Jason Douglas, one of the founders of Dragoon Technologies based in Tucson, Arizona: "The combination of Cinder, our cost-effective long-range UAS platform, with the OEM software from Teledyne Flir opens up new and highly autonomous deployment possibilities even in complex environments. With this, we have created an ideal solution for the DIU's Artemis project and achieved a high level of autonomy."

Prism SKR is a software for automatic target recognition (ATR) that is used as a drop-in solution for the Flir Boson thermal camera module.(Image: Teledyne Flir OEM) — Prism SKR is a software for automatic target recognition (ATR) that is used as a drop-in solution for the Flir Boson thermal camera module.
(Image: Teledyne Flir OEM)

Prism SKR is a software for automatic target recognition (ATR) used as a drop-in solution for the Flir Boson thermal camera module. This module fully meets the requirements defined by Dragoon for the long-range UAS platform being developed. The software operates efficiently on embedded low-power processors and can evaluate both infrared (IR) and visible camera data. Prism SKR offers features such as real-time target position, identification, movement direction determination, and target point localization. This system controls the autonomous aircraft in a wide range of operations.

Seamless Integration into the Onboard Autopilot System

The Prism Supervisor enhances the operational readiness of the UAS platform by enabling seamless autonomy and comprehensive control and management of each mission. It integrates seamlessly with Dragoon's onboard autopilot system and supports the system's real-time decision-making capabilities as well as an intuitive mission planning interface. The autonomy functions of Prism Supervisor combine the onboard navigation subsystem with AI-based real-time observations, significantly improving the system's operational capabilities. At the same time, it reduces the operator's workload as it can operate largely autonomously.

Jared Faraudo, Vice President of Product Management and Programs at Teledyne Flir OEM, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated: "Dragoon's selection of our Prism software for the Artemis project highlights our ability to deliver 'mission critical' systems for national defense. Prism SKR and Supervisor were specifically developed to enable unmanned systems like Dragoon's to operate in challenging battlefields and to deliver the required top performance precisely when it matters most."

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