Evolution of thermal imaging and night vision

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Aps_223

Aps_223

Active Member
Hi everyone,
Thermal imaging and night vision have improved massively over the last 10–20 years, with better sensors, higher resolutions, improved image processing, and more affordable devices.

I’m curious what people think the future holds.

Do you think thermal imaging and night vision technology is approaching a practical ceiling, or are there still major breakthroughs to come?

For example:

• Will thermal sensors continue increasing in resolution and sensitivity?
• Could AI eventually compensate for hardware limitations to create dramatically better images?
• Are there any emerging technologies that could replace or outperform current thermal and NV systems?
• What do you think thermal and night vision devices will look like in 10–20 years?

Interested to hear both technical and practical perspectives from people who use these systems professionally or recreationally.
 
My limited understanding… AI requires vast computing power, so connectivity to data centres etc and thus in a current model wouldn’t be helpful for live shooting.

Next steps I expect are dual channel rifle scopes, which are already arriving, with inbuilt LRF etc. Then fusion binoculars, thermal over night vision. To give detail and attention.
 
With the current wars going on the advancement of weaponry will be progressing at a fast pace. I could imagine it could be possible for deer populations to be controlled by someone sat at a computer screen flying a drone with thermal optics with a mounted rifle in the future. I dont think this would be better but I think it would a cheaper way to reduce numbers.

Look at how drone capability in Ukraine has completely changed warfare. They are sending them further and further into Russia with the help of balloons. Thank god for the easterly wind directions! I just hope no terrorists get hold of that kind of gear.....
 
Aps_223 said:
Hi everyone,
Thermal imaging and night vision have improved massively over the last 10–20 years, with better sensors, higher resolutions, improved image processing, and more affordable devices.

I’m curious what people think the future holds.

Do you think thermal imaging and night vision technology is approaching a practical ceiling, or are there still major breakthroughs to come?

For example:

• Will thermal sensors continue increasing in resolution and sensitivity?
• Could AI eventually compensate for hardware limitations to create dramatically better images?
• Are there any emerging technologies that could replace or outperform current thermal and NV systems?
• What do you think thermal and night vision devices will look like in 10–20 years?

Interested to hear both technical and practical perspectives from people who use these systems professionally or recreationally.
Click to expand...
You still need the right conditions regardless of tec kit, so in 20 years being downwind of your quarry with a clear line of sight and back stop will not change despite the advances in kit. Also those in the future will rely on it heavily as they will be surrounded by it and the basics will have faded away.
Good luck to them but they won't have nearly as much fun as we have had... :tiphat:
 
nick.308 said:
With the current wars going on the advancement of weaponry will be progressing at a fast pace. I could imagine it could be possible for deer populations to be controlled by someone sat at a computer screen flying a drone with thermal optics with a mounted rifle in the future. I dont think this would be better but I think it would a cheaper way to reduce numbers.

Look at how drone capability in Ukraine has completely changed warfare. They are sending them further and further into Russia with the help of balloons. Thank god for the easterly wind directions! I just hope no terrorists get hold of that kind of gear.....
Click to expand...
More likely nano tech that can inject deer like an insect would.
 
Malxwal said:
More likely nano tech that can inject deer like an insect would.
Click to expand...
Exactly this.

My prediction for a while now has been that deer management (as opposed to recreational stalking) will be conducted by small semiautonomous drones, armed with a contraceptive.

It will be very easy to set off a swarm of them each year to cover the ground, search out and inject females.

Orders of magnitude cheaper and more efficient than the slow and expensive process of paying someone to wander around with a gun and drag carcasses out. And avoids all of the logistical and political problems associated with killing things.

I give it 10 years (at most) before the deer contractor as we know him is an endangered species.
 
I see the decline in field craft, an increase in focus of efficiency of modern equipment, the loss of why we target quarry in the first place. A lack of attention paid to the habits and characteristics of quarry ,a loss of understanding of species ..... eventually leading to tighter restrictions as the general public are able to view what we do because more people post their achievements online.
 
Mungo said:
Exactly this.

My prediction for a while now has been that deer management (as opposed to recreational stalking) will be conducted by small semiautonomous drones, armed with a contraceptive.

It will be very easy to set off a swarm of them each year to cover the ground, search out and inject females.

Orders of magnitude cheaper and more efficient than the slow and expensive process of paying someone to wander around with a gun and drag carcasses out. And avoids all of the logistical and political problems associated with killing things.

I give it 10 years (at most) before the deer contractor as we know him is an endangered species.
Click to expand...
A lot sooner than that.

Rewinding money and net zero carbon money is running out.
 
Hello, I started off with one of the early Tubed Night Vision Scopes from the USA but very heavy and prone to needing replacement tubes and that could be expensive which happened to this one and what a palava to get my money back, Then there were the DIY, ad ons, to day scopes, Home made in parts, Screen/ Camera and lots of wiring, Bit like the modern Pard 007, But then Yukon bought out the Photon MK 1 followed by the XT and now RT, I still use a MK 1 Photon , So easy to set up and use with a added I/R torch, Since then there has be so many digital night scopes on offer it is some what hard for those non techy chaps like me understand them, When the Photons were sold in the 1000s, Not sure on original costs but now look how the new Thermals have hit the night vision market, I still like my Photon but when you can get a Thermal scope under £400 buying night vision has never been so good in UK, Saying this i can still get many rats using a red torch
 
Last edited:
Mungo said:
Exactly this.

My prediction for a while now has been that deer management (as opposed to recreational stalking) will be conducted by small semiautonomous drones, armed with a contraceptive.

I give it 10 years (at most) before the deer contractor as we know him is an endangered species.
Click to expand...
don’t worry as a swarm of small drones will seek them out with a viagra injection to encourage deer contractors to breed
 
sillbeam said:
I see the decline in field craft, an increase in focus of efficiency of modern equipment, the loss of why we target quarry in the first place. A lack of attention paid to the habits and characteristics of quarry ,a loss of understanding of species ..... eventually leading to tighter restrictions as the general public are able to view what we do because more people post their achievements online.
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t be that pessimistic.

The split between recreational and operational/management stalking will just become more pronounced.

Absolutely nothing stopping people from keeping to traditional methods when doing it recreationally.

It’s like the difference between industrial trawling for fish to feed large populations and dry fly fishing with a split cane rod. They’re completely different things achieving completely different objectives.
 
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