Undercover Cop
Active Member
it is very true my friend,
In helicopters they use infared cameras and other equipment that can detect cannabis by measuring the heat and reflective signature of the vegetation below. Cannabis has higher reflectivity at certain wavelengths than other rural crops, such as corn.
Yes I actually do agree with this, as this has to do with visually observing the cannabis foliage directly. Not seeing the lights through walls or hot air being vented. This is totally different technology than FLIR though, FLIR is registering the heat signatures of different objects and relies on an observer to differentiate one object from another based on its appearance. Cannabis itself gives off no heat nor retains heat anymore than other plants.
Think of FLIR as Thermal Imaging, The infrared in the name can throw people off. Most people hear FLIR and think of Image intensification, which is using light invisible to humans (UV or IR) to create the digital images on screen (starlight scope or NVG's)
This chart refers to the cannabis vegetation reflecting different wavelengths of light at different ratio's compared to other plants. This is done by using image intensification and filters that allow only certain wavelengths to show brighter on the screen as the spotter scans. Knowing that wavelengths over 750nm are reflected at a much higer rate than the surrounding foliage, you can use a filter that will block out the waves under 750nm, and the resulting picture will look very dull and washed out but the cannabis will stand out much brighter against the background. use some color correction and processing and the picture can look relatively normal except a cannabis patch will stand out. Fly a drone to do a large area survey then have some desk jockey examine the photos for anything that stands out. This is a reality, and is done, and doesnt need a warrant because its only observing what is in plain sight (doesnt look through walls or anything, only picks up the reflected sunlight wavelengths) but would be prohibitively expensive to do on a small scale or targeted at any one person. These are done over large open areas (National forrests/parks/cattle ranch lands etc) and wouldnt pick up your small garden in the back yard, but like I said, even from 10000ft+ a 10x10' plot would stand out enough to get noticed. BUUUUTTT.... there are under 500 DEA agents worldwide, they're not going to go after your small time grow, and if you're growing outside you shouldnt be growing on your own property to begin with... the far back corner of your neighbor's yard gets more sun anyway, right