Growing advancements in night vision devices have led to increased civilian commercial application. For example, the civil aviation has standardized the use of night vision devices, increasing its night-operating capacity tremendously. Furthermore, demand for night vision devices continues to grow among local authorities like police. A new technology, developed by an Israeli night vision goggles company, known as the XACT nv33 Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) makes police authorities capable of driving vehicles in absolute darkness as per industry reports. The US, Australian, German, Dutch, French, and UAE authorities recently ordered this night vision technology for its armed, and police forces. The contracts worth in millions are a major game changer for the technology as it promises to avert threats like organized crimes, and terrorism, promising new applications in the near future. The growing demand for military and civil application for night vision devices with promising advancements promise major growth for night vision devices market.
Night Vision Devices Market: An Overview
The night vision devices (NVD), also known as the night observation device (NOD), or night vision goggles (NVG). These devices rely on optoelectronic operation, which can light up an image using either infrared or thermal imaging techniques. The image as shown often in Hollywood films is distinctly green in color due to make for easy viewing experience. Generally, NVDs embed include an image intensifier tube, a water-resistant housing, and a type of mounting system. These can also include protective sacrificial lens, or telescopic lenses or mirrors. The key difference between night vision devices, and infrared imaging technology is the use of IR illuminator. Thermal imaging technology uses passive image production techniques, and only uses differences in heat to recreate objects. On the other hand, active infrared light relies on short wavelength to illuminate objects, providing a more active means of pursuit. Military night vision camera often embeds infrared active vision for enhanced viewing capabilities. Growing innovation from night vision manufacturers have led to use of even augmented reality to recreate surroundings in warzones to provide extra vision capabilities to soldiers.
According to Intellectual Market Insights Research, the night vision devices market size reached USD 6.74 billion in valuation in 2020. The growing demand for night vision goggles for increasing civil uses, the lowered costs of night vision goggles, and promising new technology like night vision goggles with nano-tech layers promise to take the night vision device market size to USD 12.40 billion by 2027 end, growing at 9.10% CAGR during the 2021-2028 periods.
Night Vision Devices Market: Key Trends
New technologies like Forward-Looking Infrared, also known as FLIR promises to expand thermal imagery application in new areas. The technology can detect infrared radiation, from a heat source, which enables it to create an image assembled in video formats. This capability is key to its use in traffic video monitoring, search and rescue operations, insulation defects, defects in electrical equipment, identifying fire sources during firefighting operations, night driving, search drug labs, target acquisition for both military, and civilian aircrafts, and even niche applications like tracking game in wild habits, and monitoring active volcanoes. These advancements are ideal for long-wave infrared sensor application, and detects location of objects from a distance against a cooler background.
The night vision device technology continues to become lighter, smaller, and deliver more power-packed performance. The advancements in bringing down sizes has come from increasing small-but more powerful pixel-driven performance of the imaging systems. this is likely to grow as developments like going down from 17-to 12-micron pixels remain the defining trends across night vision manufacturing companies. Furthermore, similar trends are witnessed in DRS technology, wherein pixel sizes have decreased to 10-micron pixel. The reduced size of pixels is likely to open up new applications, with new technologies like SWaP-C, and growing development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The night vision devices remain promising in their innovation, and increasing commercial applications in key regions like North America promises a robust growth forecast.