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The infrared camera which spotted Boston bombings suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, while hiding in a boat in Watertown has been revealed as the Star SAFIRE III.
The recent Boston bombings have created a lot of panic and mass confusion. Unfortunately, three people have been killed, while more than 170 others have been injured.
Boston bombings suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was nowhere to be found until the lockdown was called off
The Federal Bureau Investigation has quickly found two suspects and, just a few days later, they have been caught. One of them, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, has been killed in a firefight, while his younger brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, has been captured hours later after a massive manhunt.
Even though Boston has been under lockdown last Friday, the police, the FBI, and other task forces, which were on a manhunt, did not manage to find the second suspect as soon as they would have hoped.
The breakthrough happened shortly after the police said that it can no longer ask the people to stay in their homes. A person decided to check the environment and he noticed blood in his backyard.
He decided to investigate and he followed the blood trail up to his boat. It was clear that the person hiding in the boat was actually Tsarnaev. He took a few steps back and called the police to inform them of the situation.
Aerial photography is also useful, not just beautiful, courtesy of Star SAFIRE III
As a result, law enforcement officers surrounded the suspect and called in the aerial surveillance team, who was equipped with a Star SAFIRE III camera.
The infrared device can be attached to helicopters and US Predator Drones, even though it is a bit chubby, as it is weighing 100 pounds.
The Star SAFIRE III can be used for taking infrared images and numerous other applications. It works in low-light conditions and it is said to be useful as a laser designator. It consists of a 15-inch gimbal and a Forward Looking Infrared Camera, which captures motion pictures at 640 x 480 pixels.
Even though it is not much of a resolution, the camera is pretty accurate and it is enough to help the police and military to determine how to approach a tense situation.
The camera is developed by FLIR and it has done a great job last week. After the police became sure that there was someone in the boat, they asked him to get out and surrender. However, another firefight started, though the officers convinced Dzhokhar to capitulate in the end.
You may want a Star SAFIRE III, you can have it, but you cannot afford it
Soon after Tsarnaev was taken into custody, the photos captured by the Star SAFIRE III camera, which was attached to a police helicopter, were released to the public and they made the internet rounds.
It is understandable that some people may want to buy one of these cameras. Anybody can do so, but it is worth mentioning that a unit costs about $500,000, therefore it is unreachable to most earthlings.
Nevertheless, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is in custody now and the Massachusetts State Police must be really happy to have had a Star SAFIRE III camera at its disposal.