SQ laser designator series

Airborne Laser Designator Pods for UAV and Helicopter Use

4 targeting pods · 2.5 kg – 22 kg

The SQ series adds a 1064 nm laser designator to the same stabilised imaging architecture, so an operator can illuminate a target and keep tracking it in daylight or thermal at the same time.

1064 nm designator
Ranging to 10 km
2.5 kg – 22 kg
640 × 512 thermal

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A laser designator pod illuminates a target so a semi-active seeker can find it, while the pod keeps tracking the same point in daylight or thermal. The SQ series adds a 1064 nm designator to the standard stabilised imaging architecture.

An airborne laser designator has to hold its spot on target while the platform manoeuvres, which makes beam pointing accuracy a function of the same servo loop that holds the image. A laser designation pod for a helicopter or a large fixed-wing aircraft is therefore specified by stabilisation accuracy, illumination time and ranging distance together. Each targeting pod below fires a coded pulse with a selectable frequency code and a minimum illumination time of 25 seconds.

Core capabilities

Laser rangefinding
1535 nm or 905 nm rangefinders from 5 m to 3 km turn video into georeferenced target coordinates.
Three-axis stabilisation
≤ 100 μrad stabilisation accuracy with ≥ 60°/s angular velocity isolates the line of sight from airframe motion.
Uncooled thermal imaging
640 × 512 (up to 1280 × 1024) long-wave infrared with NETD ≤ 40 mK, boresighted to the visible channel.
Multi-target tracking
Lock and follow 20 or more targets at once, with anti-occlusion and drift-resistant tracking.
Onboard AI detection
Person, vehicle, vessel and aircraft recognition runs locally, with no dependency on a data link.
Built for the platform
11–28 VDC input, −20 °C to +60 °C operation and IP54 sealing for wind, dust and rotor wash.

Close detail of the multi-sensor turret on a HITS camera payload showing the daylight, thermal and laser apertures — Turret detail on a pod-class head: the designator path and the imaging apertures sit on one stabilised axis.

HITS QP-125TB gimbal camera pod with a daylight lens and a thermal channel in a spherical housing — Pod housing with the daylight lens and the thermal window, the same sealed body used across the series.

4 models in the SQ series

Four targeting pods, from a 2.5 kg unit for tactical UAVs to a 22 kg turret for heavy platforms.

Laser designator pod for UAV and helicopter platforms

2-axis · EO + IR + LRF + designator

SQ-155T Laser Designator Pod OEM

A 2.5 kg targeting pod with 1064 nm designation and ranging from 120 m to 5 km.

Full specifications →

Visible: 1920 × 1080, 30x zoom 4.3 – 129 mm
Thermal: 640 × 512, 35 mm fixed
Laser: 120 m – 5 km (± 1 m)
Weight: ≤2.5 kg

SQ-200T 2-axis laser designator pod for UAV and helicopter

2-axis · EO + IR + LRF + designator

SQ-200T Laser Targeting Pod OEM

Laser designation plus 8 km ranging on a 5.5 kg two-axis pod.

Full specifications →

Visible: 1920 × 1080, 30x zoom 4.3 – 129 mm
Thermal: 640 × 512, continuous zoom 40 – 220 mm
Laser: 300 m – 8 km (± 1 m)
Weight: ≤5.5 kg

SQ-290T 2-axis laser designator pod for UAV and helicopter

2-axis · EO + IR + LRF + designator

SQ-290T customized Laser Designator Pod

The long-range designator: 10 km ranging, a 300 mm thermal zoom and a 290 mm turret.

Full specifications →

Visible: 1920 × 1080, 13x zoom 15 – 200 mm
Thermal: 640 × 512, continuous zoom 15 – 300 mm
Laser: 300 m – 10 km (± 1 m)
Weight: ≤15 kg

SQ-330Q 2-axis laser designator pod for UAV and helicopter

2-axis · EO + IR + LRF + designator

SQ-330Q Laser Designator Payload Supplier

The largest pod we build — a 330 mm turret and 22 kg of payload capacity for heavy platforms.

Full specifications →

Visible: 1920 × 1080, 30x zoom 10 – 300 mm
Thermal: Dual 640 × 512, 300 mm + continuous zoom 15 – 330 mm
Laser: ≥ 15 km
Weight: ≤22 kg

Compare the range

Model	Axes	Configuration	Visible camera	Thermal imager	Laser rangefinder	Weight
SQ-155T	2-axis	EO + IR + LRF + designator	1920 × 1080, 30x zoom 4.3 – 129 mm	640 × 512, 35 mm fixed	120 m – 5 km (± 1 m)	≤2.5 kg
SQ-200T	2-axis	EO + IR + LRF + designator	1920 × 1080, 30x zoom 4.3 – 129 mm	640 × 512, continuous zoom 40 – 220 mm	300 m – 8 km (± 1 m)	≤5.5 kg
SQ-290T	2-axis	EO + IR + LRF + designator	1920 × 1080, 13x zoom 15 – 200 mm	640 × 512, continuous zoom 15 – 300 mm	300 m – 10 km (± 1 m)	≤15 kg
SQ-330Q	2-axis	EO + IR + LRF + designator	1920 × 1080, 30x zoom 10 – 300 mm	Dual 640 × 512, 300 mm + continuous zoom 15 – 330 mm	≥ 15 km	≤22 kg

Engineering detail

Designation and ranging

The designator fires a coded 1064 nm pulse with a selectable frequency code and a continuous illumination time of 25 seconds or more, which is what a semi-active seeker needs to hold a lock.

Stabilisation under the designator

Beam pointing accuracy depends on the same servo loop that holds the image: ≤ 50 μrad stabilisation accuracy and ≥ 60°/s angular velocity keep the spot on target while the platform manoeuvres.

Designed and manufactured by HITS

Optics, servo hardware, stabilisation firmware and the AI tracking module are developed in house, and every unit is assembled, calibrated and environmentally tested on our own line before it ships.

HITS engineer testing a stabilised gimbal camera payload on the test bench before dispatch

Production line assembling stabilised gimbal camera payloads at the HITS factory

Engineer assembling the internal components of a HITS stabilised gimbal camera payload

Environmental and calibration test bench for UAV gimbal camera payloads at the HITS factory

Request information or a quotation

Tell us the platform and the seeker you are working with and we will confirm the pod. Contact us with your requirements.

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