The Airborne Public Safety Association (APSA) returned to the high-desert of Reno, Nevada, July 25 to 30 for its annual get-together — the Airborne Public Safety Convention (APSCON). The exhibit hall was open for three days and educational courses took place throughout the week. Recognizing the incorporation of unmanned aerial operations into traditional public safety work, this year’s event combined APSCON and APSCON Unmanned (formerly the Public Safety Drone Exposition).

The event saw 157 exhibitors displaying their products and services to over 1,100 attendees. Showgoers also had the opportunity to get hands-on with the seven helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft on display. These included airframes at the booths of Airbus, Bell, and MD Helicopters. The consensus from the show floor was that the recovery from the global pandemic is largely complete, and all the exhibitors were glad to be back meeting in-person. The week was capped off by the Teledyne FLIR Vision Awards and the APSA Awards Reception.

During the five days of the show, several new products were unveiled and recently upgraded systems were demonstrated. Here are some of the highlights.

Vita Inclinata VRS litter attachment

Vita Inclinata’s groundbreaking Vita Rescue System (VRS) litter attachment has been continuously evolved since its introduction in 2019. It quickly attaches to the underside of a rescue litter and uses a wirelessly controlled fan array to arrest and control the spin and swing of the load. The VRS weighs just 58 lb., and can accommodate up to 600 lb. With load control in less than three seconds, the 90-minute live hook time allows for multiple hoists to be completed prior to the 35-minute recharge.

During recent military testing, rescue crews were able to conduct three to four times the number of hoist operations with the system than they could with a traditional, non-stabilized load. Currently rated for IP67 weather protection, testing with the U.S. Coast Guard hopes to improve that number to an IP68, with additional waterproof protection.

Vita Inclinata has been generating international interest as well. The VRS was recently tested in Portugal and a new partnership with the United Aero Group aims to introduce the technology to Africa and South America. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Search and Rescue Battalion has been training with the VRS since June. Its fleet of nine SAR AW139s average several rescues a month in some of the most challenging conditions.

“The Vita system has performed flawlessly under the challenging conditions of the UAE environment,” said a UAE SAR pilot. “The system will enhance our capabilities and assist the crew for a faster and safer response during the critical ‘Golden Hour.’ We are looking forward to introducing the system on all our AW139s.”

A VRS was deployed to the Ukraine in April, and the country’s emergency service has requested 30 new systems. This increase in demand has allowed Vita Inclinata to double its Broomfield, Colorado-based production workforce.

Shotover Systems’ M2 Multi-Sensor camera system

One year ago, Shotover Systems — the combination of Shotover Camera Systems and Churchill Navigation — unveiled their first joint product: the M1 Surveillance. This was a comprehensive camera/sensor/mapping solution targeted at public safety operators.

This year, visitors to the company’s booth at APCON were able to get an exclusive look at the all-new M2 Multi-Sensor camera system. This latest offering enhances the capabilities of the M1 with a fifth-generation true six-axis gimbal, with a first-in-its-class EO/IR system that eliminates the frustration of gimbal-lock and horizon-rolling.

“We’ve developed a product that leverages software,” Robert Kubis, vice-president of imaging systems, told Vertical. “What we are offering is more like the cellphone of today in comparison to the camcorders we all used to carry. The M2 incorporates a variety of products into one compact design. There really is nothing else like this on the market right now.”

The power of combining 4K Ultra-HD color optical components and the software system was obvious during a demonstration of the license plate reading technology. Using advanced algorithms, the M2 can read and interpret vehicle plates at extreme angles. A percentage of probability is then provided, and the operator can choose to accept the listing and forward it through a downlink to various ground databases.

Technisonic T6 all-band analog module

Technisonic Industries Ltd. unveiled the T6 is an All-Band analog module — the latest upgrade to its popular TDFM line of special mission communication systems. The T6 is designed for the TDFM-9000 series — specifically the 9200/9300 iterations. During a presentation at APSCON, Jim Huddock, director of business development at Technisonic, explained that the goal was to offer, “everything [its] customers need in one box.”

The upgrade incorporates all analog bands into one module, including 30-50 MHz low band, VOR voice 108-117.9 MHz, VHG-Am airband 118-156 MHz, and UHFAM 225-400 Mhz. These critical bandwidths were previously only available separately. By combining all these bands, users no longer need to balance FM and analog needs.

“This addition makes the TDFM-9000 series easily the most scalable and capable on the market,” Huddock said.

In addition to combining bands, the T6 adds a variety of improved channel programming via TDP software. “We try to continually improve the radio you already have instead of making a new radio,” Huddock told Vertical. “We believe the 9000 series will be around for a long time and we want to help reduce the costs to the operators and give them the biggest return on their investment.”

The T6 module will be available at the end of this year, with plans for retrofit capability to existing TDFM-9000s expected shortly after.

Vector Solutions UAVs

Arizona-based Vector Solutions brought an impressive display of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and a mobile command center to APSCON. The company’s employees are all experts in part 107 operations in a variety of fields, including law enforcement, pipeline inspection and search-and-rescue. In addition to hardware and instruction, the company provides extensive training at its indoor facility, as well as onsite guidance and operation of its products for customers, if requested.

While drones can’t tackle all the missions of manned helicopters, they’re an excellent option for smaller agencies with a limited budget.

“We’ve been working with the St. Johns, Arizona, Police Department, and have helped them establish a robust drone program,” Vector Solutions president Brendon Bartholomew told Vertical. “While a helicopter unit may be financially out of reach for them, this is an alternative that provides valuable services at a fraction of cost.”

At the show, Vector displayed models from the smaller DJI Mavic series up to the recently released Matrice 30 — a high-end enterprise-grade UAV with tethering capabilities, offering unlimited loiter time along with the highest resolution transmitted video signal.

Tundra Drone ‘auto-moving’ drone light

APSCON newcomer Tundra Drone unveiled a unique option for drone operators at the show. “For the past two years, we have been developing the world’s first and brightest ‘auto-moving’ light for the small drone market,” said Tor Erik Somby, the company’s CEO.

Manufactured for the DJI Mavic 2 and 3 models, the 10,000-lumen light is attached to the body of a drone and uses patented technology to automatically follow the system’s onboard camera. Coming in at a svelte 400 grams (.88 lb.), the system piggybacks on the drone and draws power from its own quick-change rechargeable battery pack, allowing it to operate continuously for up to 21 minutes.

“In a nighttime scenario, our light offers 14 times the visual coverage [of] a standard drone light,” Somby said. The company also offers an optional 107 dB siren attachment.

With its headquarters and manufacturing facility currently at Kautokeino, Norway, Tundra is working diligently to meet its increasing demands. “This is the first show we have been at, and the response has been tremendous,” said Somby. “We fully expect to add additional production, hopefully in the U.S. soon.”

Currently, the Tundra Drone light is available à la carte or in two pre-set configurations. The Small Operations kit includes the light, three battery packs, an AC charger, a car charger, and a hard case. The Large Operations kit doubles the battery count and adds a battery charging hub. All the products are available directly from Tundra.

Macro-Blue MBiQ

A favorite of many airborne public safety agencies, Macro-Blue provides some of the leading displays for tactical operations. Its newest offering, the MB Q-Series, uses touchscreen input, fanless cooling, low 6-watt power consumption, backlit controls, and some of the thinnest profiles in the industry. Paired with its DisplayLink remote video management unit, the system is capable of high-speed bidirectional data transmission, reducing cost and weight.

The MBiQ, on display at APSCON, combines the MB Q-Series display and a mission computer in one compact package. The pre-configured touchscreen requires no input device (such as a keyboard or mouse), although it is fully compatible with them if an operator desires. The night-vision compatible display can accept over-the-air remote upgrades and technical support when needed. Four SDI video inputs are standard, with options for three composite and one DVI or VGA input. The installation can be configured in a landscape or portrait orientation.

Howard Ogle, Macro-Blue’s president, told Vertical that the goal is to have the mission computer run various aftermarket mapping solutions, further reducing space, cost, and complexity for end users. The MBiQ is available directly through Macro-Blue.

Canyon AeroConnect Flexcomm RT-7000

Formerly known as Cobham, Wulfsburg, and Northern Airborne Technologies (NAT), Canyon AeroConnect is an American-owned and operated business, now based in Prescott, Arizona. At APSCON, it was displaying the combination of its Flexcomm RT-7000 tactical radio and the Titan Digital Audio Management System.

“With the RT-7000, we’re offering the only tactical radio that can search its own code plug or frequency map, interface with Shotover, operate seamlessly on 29.7-960MHz bands with one antenna, and much more,” business development manager Lee Owen told Vertical.

“Also, the resistive touchscreen is rated at 1,000 nits and can be read in direct sunlight up to a 170-degree angle. In addition, when coupled with the Titan panel, we provide a remarkable list of features, including spatial audio, all in the smallest, lightest solution for helicopters and airplanes.”