From: Hood Tech Corp Vision, Inc., Hood River, Oregon

Press Release From: Hood Tech Corp Vision, Inc., Hood River, Oregon Date: August 16, 2011 Subject: Hood Tech's UAV Cameras Perform in Libya Contact: Dr. Lars Bergstrom, Hood Tech Corp Vision, Inc., 541-490-9099, [email protected]

An August 16 article in Defense Professionals (http://www.defpro.com/news/details/26838/? SID=660c23b55e553ad97030ef8f11137db5) describes the impressive performance of Hood Tech imaging systems aboard the unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) being used to support U.S. and NATO Forces in their mission to protect civilians and reduce the flow of arms into Libya.

Over a period of 72 hours, NATO and U.S. forces used unmanned aircraft systems carrying Hood Tech imagers to support Operation Unified Protector. These unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) were launched and retrieved from USS Mahan (DDG 72) and were used to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance with excellent results.

The Defense Professionals article quotes Lt. Nick Townsend: “What happened over that period of time, no one expected,” The imaging systems aboard the UAS “was locating contacts of interest that no one else could find.” Once the mission was completed the fleet of UAS carrying Hood Tech imagers was credited with locating a host of contacts of interest specifically due to its “superior image quality.”

The Hood Tech imagers “delivered real-time, full-color imagery that was used to improve overall battlefield awareness and mission effectiveness.” Townsend described the imagery as providing “shockingly effective combat support”.

Historically, Hood Tech’s imaging systems have contributed to a 99 percent mission- readiness rate and the ability to respond to time-critical and unplanned missions within 30 minutes of notification. During this operation aboard USS Mahan, Hood Tech imagers were used to support a 100 percent mission-readiness rate with 1,154 flight hours spread over 167 sorties.

Hood Technology Corp. Vision, Inc. (Hood Tech) designs and manufactures imaging and video processing systems for both manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), boats, land vehicles, and stationary mounts. The reliability and utility of Hood Tech’s daylight and thermal imaging products has been demonstrated over more than 500,000 hours of operations in a variety of temperatures, humidity, dust, smoke, haze, and other environmental factors (http://www.alticamvision.com).

Hood Technology was founded by Dr. Andy von Flotow in Hood River, Oregon in 1993. In addition to stabilized imaging systems, Hood Technology develops, tests, and manufactures launch and retrieval systems for a variety of UAVs and monitors blade vibrations in industrial turbines and jet engines, a diagnostic method for predicting possible future failures (www.hoodtech.com).

For further information, please contact Dr. Lars Bergstrom at [email protected].