Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), and developer of the most advanced airborne imaging systems in the world, will play a pivotal role in transforming the narrative of the highly-anticipated television series, Chopper Cops. As the official airborne camera of the series, Teledyne FLIR’s cutting-edge thermal technology has enabled a breath-taking perspective on the exploits of the Marion County Florida Sheriff’s Department’s elite aviation unit.
Premiering on Paramount+ June 18, Chopper Cops will feature 10 half-hour episodes showcasing the Marion County Sheriff’s Department’s state-of-the-art helicopters and highly skilled crews. Known as Air One, these ‘chopper cops’ operate 24/7, equipped with FLIR’s advanced thermal cameras and augmented-reality mapping capabilities that provide deputies in the air and on the ground with high-definition imagery day or night. Air One’s stories are vividly brought to life through in-aircraft cameras, radio transmissions, and gripping first-person interviews with law enforcement. Teledyne FLIR Defense will sponsor show premiering June 18 and serve as official airborne camera system
The incorporation of Teledyne FLIR’s multi-spectral imaging systems into the helicopters has elevated the storytelling capabilities of Chopper Cops, capturing all the action with clarity and precision.
“The very thermal imaging technology FLIR has pioneered since 1978 will now allow TV audiences to watch the brave efforts of the Marion County aviation unit from an entirely new perspective,” said Dr. JihFen Lei, executive vice president and general manager of Teledyne FLIR Defense. “Bad guys can’t hide from today’s high-definition infrared cameras, and good people in harm’s way can be found much easier. We’re immensely proud to support the airborne law enforcement community and honored to see our life-saving technology spotlighted in Chopper Cops.”
“Teledyne FLIR’s thermal camera systems are incredibly versatile, allowing us to steady our lens on the action, both day and night, and to capture and share the story of an incredible group of people, the Marion County Aviation Unit,” said W. Hulsey Smith, executive producer, and aerial director of Chopper Cops. “For the first time ever, the audience will see exactly what these deputies see from the air and on mission, literally riding beside these everyday heroes as they serve and save lives in their community.”
“In Chopper Cops, if you want to know fear and whether these brave cops are going to come home at night, you’re about to see it,” said Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods. “To us, failure is never an option.”
In 2023, Teledyne FLIR became the official airborne camera system of V1 Productions and W. Hulsey Smith, the company behind the show. Since then, FLIR technology has been integrated into several V1 production efforts, including Straight and Level, the most-watched aviation lifestyle program on Amazon Prime Video, and the aerial production of the soon-to-be-released feature documentary ‘A Race to the End,’ chronicling the final Reno National Championship Air Races.
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