The strengths of thermal cameras for use in video surveillance have been well-documented, most notably their reliance on heat signatures alone to “see.” All objects have a measurable temperature, and thermal cameras detect even slight differences among people, vehicles, backgrounds and more to generate video that highlights contrasts within a scene.
With thermal cameras, visible light isn’t necessary, bright light won’t distort images and weather or other harsh conditions can’t hinder their ability to capture usable video. Using the invisible heat radiation of each object in the field of view, these cameras can see what traditional cameras — and the human eye — cannot. And they can do this effectively over longer distances than their visible-light counterparts.