filters for remote monitoring by drones

Drone Optical Filters | UV to IR Filters for UAV Imaging

Shape Optics Technologies (SOT) offers a dedicated series of optical filters designed for drone-based remote monitoring systems, covering a broad spectral range from UV to visible, NIR, SWIR, and MWIR infrared bands. These filters are optimized for aerial imaging payloads, where wide field of view, spectral stability, and high transmission are critical.

SOT drone filters are engineered to maintain minimal spectral shift at large incidence angles, ensuring accurate spectral performance even under wide-angle drone optics. Custom sizes and shapes are supported to meet the mechanical and optical constraints of UAV camera modules.

 

Key Applications

Drone optical filters are widely used in:

  • Forest Fire Monitoring – Early detection of combustion signatures and hot spots
  • Agricultural Monitoring – Crop health analysis and multispectral imaging
  • Corona & Arcing Detection – UV detection of discharge from high-voltage equipment
  • Range Finding – LiDAR and distance-measurement systems
  • Image Recognition & Surveillance – Enhanced contrast and spectral selectivity for AI vision systems

 

Key Benefits

  • Wide Field of View with Minimal Spectral Shift: Optimized for drone optics operating at large angles of incidence
  • High Transmission: Maximizes signal throughput for improved detection sensitivity
  • Excellent Thermal Stability: Reliable spectral performance under varying altitude and temperature conditions
  • Flexible Size & Shape: Custom apertures, dimensions, and substrates available upon request

 

Standard Drone Filter Products

UV, VIS, NIR, SWIR & IR Bands

BandCWLFWHMPeak TransmissionBlocking
UV266 nm20 nmT > 20%OD12 @ 300–700 nm
VIS440 nm15 nmT > 90%OD4 @ UV–1200 nm
 505 nm20 nmT > 90%OD4 @ UV–1200 nm
 665 nm15 nmT > 90%OD4 @ UV–1200 nm
NIR840 nm15 nmT > 90%OD4 @ UV–1200 nm
 905 nm15 nmT > 90%OD4 @ UV–1200 nm
 940 nm15 nmT > 90%OD4 @ UV–1200 nm
SWIR1550 nm60 nmT > 90%OD4 @ UV–1800 nm
 1575 nm60 nmT > 90%OD4 @ UV–1800 nm
IR (MWIR/LWIR)3.4 µm140 nmT > 85%OD3 @ UV–11 µm
 4.66 µm180 nmT > 85%OD3 @ UV–11 µm
 5.33 µm300 nmT > 85%OD3 @ UV–11 µm
 7.3 µm180 nmT > 85%OD3 @ UV–11 µm

 

Customization & Engineering Support

If standard drone filter configurations do not fully meet your requirements, SOT provides custom optical filter design services, including:

  • Custom center wavelengths & bandwidths
  • Enhanced blocking levels
  • Wide-angle spectral optimization
  • UAV payload-specific mechanical integration

Contact our technical team to discuss your drone imaging or remote sensing project.