The call comes in just after sunset. The light is fading and cloud cover is thickening. A vehicle pursuit has crossed county lines. Ground units are losing sight of the suspect as roads narrow and traffic congests. Above the scene, using a white-hot infrared sensor, a tactical flight officer maintains a steady track through trees, overpasses and changing terrain while deputies reposition safely below and the pilot maintains altitude over the evolving situation.
Moments like these define airborne law enforcement.
For aviation units, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) technology has become an essential component of modern public safety operations. From vehicle pursuits and missing person searches to perimeter security and tactical overwatch, agencies depend on imaging systems that deliver reliable performance every time the aircraft lifts off.
That trust is why airborne law enforcement operators continue to choose the L3Harris WESCAM MX-10 EO/IR sensor system day and night.
Engineered for the Mission
Designed specifically for airborne surveillance and reconnaissance missions, the WESCAM MX-10 combines high-definition daylight imaging, advanced thermal sensors and precision stabilization in a compact and lightweight package optimized for rotary-wing aircraft and unmanned platforms alike.
Its low size, weight and power profile enables integration across a broad range of airborne platforms while maximizing aircraft performance and mission flexibility. For agencies expanding their airborne capabilities through unmanned systems, the WESCAM MX-10 delivers advanced imaging capability without compromising endurance or payload capacity.
Enhancing Operator Effectiveness
For tactical flight officers, image stability directly influences mission effectiveness. The WESCAM MX-10's active multi-axis stabilization maintains a clear and steady picture during aggressive maneuvering, high-speed pursuits and operations in turbulent conditions. Operators can maintain positive track using L3Harris' Automatic Video Tracker, allowing crews to follow vehicles, suspects and persons of interest while reducing workload during high-tempo events and freeing operators to focus on mission coordination and officer safety.
The system's high-performance optics and precision geo-location capabilities provide crews with accurate target coordinates that can be rapidly shared with responding ground units and dispatch centers. During pursuits, search and rescue operations or perimeter security missions, the ability to quickly deliver actionable location information helps improve response times and operational coordination.
As missions transition from daylight to darkness, the MX-10's advanced infrared imaging capabilities provide crews with the confidence to continue operating through changing environmental and lighting conditions. Whether locating a missing child in wooded terrain, supporting officers during a foot pursuit or conducting surveillance from altitude, operators maintain situational awareness when it matters most.
Assured Reliability
Reliability remains equally important. Air support units often operate under demanding flight schedules with little room for downtime. Built from technology proven across military and government operations around the world, the WESCAM MX-10 delivers the high operational availability agencies require to support daily operations year after year.
For organizations operating mixed fleets of helicopters and unmanned aircraft, the MX-Series common operator interface simplifies training and enables crews to transition seamlessly between platforms. Interoperability with modern mission management software, digital mapping applications and public safety command and control systems further enhances situational awareness across the broader response network.
Sheriff and police aviation units across North America and Europe continue to rely on WESCAM MX-Series imaging systems to support their airborne missions. From major metropolitan agencies operating dedicated helicopter fleets to regional law enforcement organizations expanding into unmanned aircraft operations, crews depend on trusted sensor performance to support officers and communities on the ground.
The evolution of airborne law enforcement is also expanding beyond helicopters.
From Rotary to Unmanned Platforms
Public safety agencies are increasingly integrating unmanned aircraft systems into surveillance, reconnaissance and disaster response operations. The compact size, weight and power characteristics of the WESCAM MX-8 and WESCAM MX-10 enable integration onto a growing range of UAV platforms, extending persistent overwatch capability while reducing operational costs and increasing deployment flexibility for agencies seeking to expand aerial coverage without increasing flight hours.
Whether operating from a sheriff's helicopter, a police aviation unit or a next-generation unmanned aircraft, the mission remains unchanged: Find the subject. Maintain the track. Support the officers on the ground. Help communities stay safe.
