EmberScope

Procurement path - 24 May 2026

The first build has quote gates instead of a single hardware leap.

EmberScope separates bench-surrogate purchases, custom optical cassette fabrication, and flight-article assembly so detector, window, mirror, housing, and calibration risks are retired in the right order.

Review gate sequence Read detector path Read payload concept Read calibration strategy Read field-test plan

Staged purchase path

Procurement starts with a quote pack, then buys only hardware that remains useful if the optics change.

Gate 0 Quote pack: detector branch, window diameter, mirror surfaces, datums, and acceptance checks.
Gate 1 Bench and surrogate hardware: detector development branch, references, windows, blackening samples, and capture electronics.
Gate 2 Optical cassette: custom mirrors or coupons, coating, baffles, window cell, and detector focus mechanism.
Gate 3 Flight article: sealed housing, drone adapter, serviceable window, field-reference handling, and replayable evidence capture.

Evidence boundary

This is a buy/build plan, not a purchase authorization.

Public supplier pages were checked on 24 May 2026. Availability, pricing, export status, and lead time still need live supplier confirmation before any order.

The important procurement decision is not simply "buy Boson+". The final custom-optics branch must have raw or pre-AGC frames, calibration state, and a confirmed radiometric or radiometry-ready output path for the selected optical interface.

Build lines

The first-build budget is intentionally wide until detector part number, mirror count, and metrology scope close.

Line Default path Planning allowance Acceptance check
Detector/core and interface Confirmed Boson+ 640 custom-optics branch with raw/pre-AGC and radiometric data path; fixed-lens radiometric module only as early surrogate. USD 6k-12k Replayable raw or radiometric frames with detector settings, NUC/shutter state, timestamps, and checksums.
LWIR window/filter 8-12 um AR-coated germanium baseline with ZnS multispectral alternate for supply-risk and weather-window trade. USD 1k-4k Window-in/window-out offset, cleaning recovery, and visible damage state logged in the calibration manifest.
Mirrors and coating SPDT aluminum or nickel-plated aluminum mirrors, quoted from improved surfaces, protected IR coating, and witness coupon. USD 17k-53k Form, slope or roughness evidence, coating record, and datum map trace to the optical model.
Mounts, housing, and adapter CNC optical cassette, serviceable window cell, sealed outer shell, drone adapter, connector strain relief, and base heat path. USD 8k-25k Assembly order, mass, envelope, connector, window service, vibration screen, and 150 mm fit checks pass.
Electronics and calibration kit Low-power capture/storage/timing/geotag path plus warm and ambient field references. USD 3k-11k Sustained capture, alert export, reference residuals, storage checksums, and 15 W payload ceiling are demonstrated.
Assembly and metrology Incoming inspection, alignment fixture, focus sweep, thermal soak, vibration screen, and final build record. USD 5k-15k Serials, metrology, alignment state, software version, calibration state, and acceptance results are tied together.

Rough-order first-build allowance: USD 38k-123k before staff time, taxes, import duties, drone platform costs, controlled-burn logistics, or production spares.

Detector decision

The procurement question is the exact custom-optics data path, not whether Boson+ remains the preferred family.

Preferred family

Teledyne FLIR's Boson+ page keeps the 640 x 512, 12 um, 60 Hz default family and low-SWaP integration path in scope for EmberScope.

Procurement caution

The public selector shows temperature measurement on selected fixed-lens radiometric models, while lensless 640 rows need vendor confirmation for the final custom optical train.

Safe first buy

Buy a radiometric fixed-lens development branch for calibration/software work, or buy a lensless/custom branch only after raw/radiometric output is confirmed in writing.

Assembly order

The camera should prove capture, calibration, window behavior, and cassette alignment before flight housing work.

1

Dummy payload

Check the 150 mm cube, adapter, connector side, heat path, electronics bay, and window service access without risking optics.

2

Detector bench

Capture raw or radiometric frames, checksums, calibration state, timestamps, and reference frames before custom mirrors arrive.

3

Window and baffles

Test candidate windows and blackening samples with off-axis hot sources, cleaning, dust, and adhesion checks.

4

Optical cassette

Receive mirror metrology, assemble on a bench fixture, run focus/alignment checks, and record the locked build state.

5

Closed payload

Verify mass, power, thermal sensors, connector strain relief, storage, calibration manifests, vibration, and thermal drift.

Custom mirror procurement waits for quote-ready surfaces from the improved prescription work. The current proof-of-concept geometry is useful for packaging plausibility, but it is not the supplier quote pack.

A field article is ready only when it can carry replayable evidence: calibration state, raw frames, route metadata, target truth, alert packets, and failed examples.

Supplier signals

The plan uses current public product pages and capability pages, but keeps purchases quote-gated.

Blackening and baffles

Acktar coating data supports testing LWIR-capable black foils or coated baffles instead of relying only on ordinary black anodizing.