Design Excellence - People, Processes, Tools, Products

RECON OPTICAL engineering teams are multi-disciplined groups of specialists who use their skills in optical, mechanical, electronic, software and systems engineering to design, develop and produce:

• Highly sophisticated surveillance and reconnaissance sensors
• Stabilized weapon mounts and systems
• Highly accurate pointing sensors
• Ground-based image exploitation systems
• Optics and opto-mechanical systems, including optical elements and coatings
• Software
• Data fusion
• Sighting systems, including dual-axis components

Recon holds more than 40 active patents for technologies and methodologies used in hardware, software, systems and manufacturing designs associated with our products.

Our engineers focus on continuous improvement as they build a strong future on our legacy as the world's leading provider of tactical reconnaissance cameras and the longest continuously operating aerial recce company in the world.

In addition to reconnaissance products, Recon's future includes our Stabilized Remotely operated Weapon Systems (SRWS) - developed using our expertise in stabilization and sensor technologies - and our specialized, cutting-edge optical elements and systems.

Design, Development, Analysis, Simulation

Recon's engineering teams have the expertise, tools and processes to perform end-to-end systems research and engineering needed for today's sophisticated force protection products.

We have a wide range of laboratories dedicated to research, development and testing of digital/IR detectors and electronic sensors; stabilization; IR metrology; optical design; hardware integration; and image exploitation/ground stations.

We also rely on a variety of specialized, state-of-the-art software and equipment to design, develop, analyze and test our products, and prepare them for production - supporting optimum efficiency from concept through delivery.

In addition to standard computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), our engineering teams use these types of tools and processes:

• For systems design and analysis, our tools enable us to perform modeling, including atmospheric modeling, thermal simulation and materials analysis.
• Using these tools, our teams carry out electrical design, analysis and simulation tasks, all key to development of Recon products, such as: electronic design automation; schematics capture; design and simulation of both analog and digital circuits (including field programmable gate array [FPGA] logic devices) using high-level hardware design language (HDL); manual and automated circuit card assembly (CCA) layout; built-in design rule checking, impedance-controlled routing and crosstalk estimation; and exportation of manufacturing data for circuit boards and other electrical components.
• For mechanical design, analysis and simulation, we use 3D/solid-model drafting, layout, and mass properties tools; finite element analysis and design simulation tools (structural, thermal, static and dynamic). These tools can be linked with vendors and subcontractors to provide real-time electronic transfer of design models, analyses and fabrication files, as well as internal manufacturing support. Additionally, equipment such as vibration analyzers and accelerometers are used to determine vibration signatures for components and systems.
• Opto-mechanical design and analysis is conducted using optical design software packages, including specialized processes and equipment for optical system/component design, simulation and evaluation and optical coating design.
• Software design and analysis is supported by embedded microprocessor/microcontroller and host/multi-computer systems; design and analysis tools; and development languages/tools.

Production Preparation

Using proven development methods, our engineering teams work with their counterparts in the production teams to transfer designs to the next step - advanced, lean and optical manufacturing processes and facilities. This interaction helps the teams stay focused on ensuring designs comply with hardware interfaces and customer requirements are met.

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