Ranching technology post #8: FLIR Scout TK

For a long time now I've looked upon thermal imaging devices as something that would be incredibly useful for ranching but far outside my price range.  However, after seeing the reviews and demonstrations online for the FLIR Scout TK handheld monocle, I finally decided to take the plunge.

A demonstration of the color pallet options available in the FLIR Scout TK using my tractor.  From left to right and top to bottom: black-hot, white-hot, "inst-alert," graded-fire 1, graded-fire 2, iron, lava, rain, and color wheel.  In each example the engine has been running and is warm. It's always best to use whichever color system works for you, but I typically use black-hot at night and white-hot during the day. 

In many instances thermal imaging is confused with night vision devices, but they are quite different.  It's an easy thing to confuse since both devices are often used to "see" things in the dark and both in some way incorporate infrared radiation.  The difference is that a night vision device works by amplifying visible light and a very small amount of near infrared (NIR) radiation, while thermal imaging works by converting either medium wave infrared (MWIR) or long wave infrared (LWIR) into a visible image.  Different wavelengths of infrared radiation are emitted by objects depending on their temperatures with longer wavelengths being emitted at cooler temperatures and shorter wavelength at higher temperatures.  The FLIR Scout TK is a LWIR imager. 

A black-hot image of our bull at night.  It's interesting to note that, in addition to his eyes and nostrils, the bull's horn emit a lot of heat. 

A white-hot image of the same bull during the day.  In this situation you are seeing the effects of the sun's heat on the bison and the surrounding environment. 

A regular photograph of diesel containers on the left compared to a black-hot thermal image of the same containers taken at night on the right.  In the thermal image, only the presence of warm diesel inside the containers makes the four containers noticeable.  The other empty containers are barely visible in the background.  

Many tractors with front-end loaders now put liquid in the large rear tires as ballast.  In this black-hot image taken at night you can clearly see the fill line of the liquid ballast. 

Walking barefoot on the carpet in my home leaves thermal tracks that remain visible for a few minutes.  I have noticed that it is possible to see a warm patch on the ground where an animal has been sitting recently. 

The following are some of the reasons I why I purchased the thermal imager:
  1. If the bison were to escape the imager would make locating the herd much easier.
  2. To scan the bison for surface wounds, infections, and some types of disease symptoms with minimal stress. 
  3. To more easily detect, document, and monitor instances of trespassing, theft, and poaching.  
  4. To more easily detect, pursue, and capture problem dogs for relocation off the property.
  5. To spot fawns (baby deer) and nesting turkeys hiding in the grass during the spring and avoid running them over with my tractor or truck. 
  6.  To find out if my feet are really as cold as they feel in the winter.

One advantage of a long wave infrared (LWIR) imager over a medium wave infrared (MWIR) imager is that hot objects, such as fire, will be less likely to overload the sensor.  In this black-hot LWIR image of a campfire at night it is still possible to see some of the rocks surrounding the burning logs. 

The following are some of the animals I've observed with the thermal imager so far:

A black-hot image of a deer at night.

Rabbit - clearly visible hiding in a field at night.

This dog was spotted running around in the pasture during the day.

A fox hunting at night.

Skunk - I was able to avoid walking into this skunk at night.

This series of pictures may have worked better as an animated gif.  At night I observed a mouse running up and down a hollow tree and managed to capture a few images.  The mouse is much more visible in real-time.

This is another difficult to see image of birds sleeping in a tree at night.  The only reason I knew they were there was that the mouse in the previous image disturbed them and moved around some at that point. 

House cat - I didn't know they had such cold noses.  

Update: Nov 08, 2016 Here's a few more interesting videos