13D10

13D10 is a designation used to identify a family of electro-optical imaging sensors developed by a U.S. aerospace company for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The first 13D10 prototype was introduced in 2016 as part of a joint program with the Department of Defense to enhance night‑time surveillance capabilities. The sensor employs a staring array of indium antimonide pixels, providing a thermal sensitivity of 100 mK at -20 °C. It operates in the long‑wave infrared band (8–14 µm) and delivers a field of view of 120 degrees with a resolution of 640 × 512 pixels. The 13D10 is designed to be lightweight (approximately 1.2 kg) and power‑efficient, drawing less than 12 W from the UAV’s power system.

During flight trials conducted in 2018 and 2019, the 13D10 met performance criteria for target detection at ranges up to 5 km under cloud cover. It was subsequently integrated onto several tactical UAV platforms, including the ScanEagle and the RQ‑21 Blackjack, where it improved mission endurance by enabling automatic target tracking without pilot intervention. In 2021, a second generation sensor, the 13D10B, introduced an extended spectral band (4–5 µm) for chemical detection. The 13D10 family remains in active service and is being evaluated for use on future autonomous maritime patrol drones.