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Use of airborne high resolution digital sensor imagery is ever increasing. Color HDTV, infrared cameras and radar are examples of such sensors. And they are becoming increasingly used for mission purposes by the military, police, customs and coast guard onboard helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. These users have requirements for onboard presentation, analysis and storage. Use of weather radars and other similar types of sensors are flight oriented applications in major types of aircraft. Another application is the integration of cockpit and cabin surveillance systems onboard commercial airlines. Cabin surveillance systems, growing from cockpit door cameras to complete cabin surveillance, will use several cameras. The purpose is to acquire and store imagery from un-normal events including unruly passengers and eventual terrorists. The primary intentions are security awareness in the cockpit as well as collecting evidence for a potential prosecution.

Small aircraft and helicopters have an increasing need for “heads out” presentations, which means a projected presentation of symbols and images, primarely infrared, on an optical combiner in the pilots field of view. The information presented will appear at an infinite distance i.e. the focal point is far away enabling the pilot to see the symbology superimposed on and correlated to the outside world. The driving factors for a “heads out” presentations are increased safety through improved situation awareness in almost all weather conditions as well as operational improvements due to reduced landing minima prerequisites in adverse weather conditions. Also safety during taxiing and landing are improved through early detection of eventual other aircraft and objects. The landing aid is important for small aircraft like business jets that often fly into unequipped airfields.

Small aircraft have an increased need for presentation of pilot information heads-out. Heads-out means that the information is projected and overlaid the outside world enabling the pilot to receive information and images from the avionics system at the same time as he can look out of the windows. Heads-out presentation is accomplished by an optical head-up or head-worn display device. Driving factors for heads-out presentation are improved landing credits to be able to land at the airport of destination also during adverse weather conditions, improved safety due to better situation awareness and operating cost savings. New technologies giving compact and more affordable head-up displays (HUD) are now availble and installation in small fixed wing aircraft (e.g. business jets) and helicopters is feasible. Saab has developed a new head-up display named RIGS, which provides pilots with information linked to flight and navigation.