Modern Grow-OP detection

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FruityBud

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While doing some searching on the web, i found this article about FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) System's. Hope some find it of interest.

Modern Grow-OP detection

Modern Grow-Op detection utilizes a sensor arsenal, which includes the FLIR (Forward-Looking Infra-Red) system. This well known system detects the Infra-red signatures of high heat sources, associated with the metal-hydride lights used in large grow operations.

In order to avoid being detected it is best practice to use thermal paints on the outside and inside of buildings, to reduce the outgoing thermal energies. In addition, the use of mylar tarps, or tarp-backed survival blankets, will further reduce the thermal output of your grow op.

The Technology

All objects with a temperature above absolute zero emit infrared radiation. The hotter an object gets, the more infrared radiation it emits. These emissions cannot be seen with the naked eye. However, a thermal imager can detect infrared radiation emitted from an object and convert its readings into a two-dimensional, black-and-white picture.

The picture contains various shades of gray, depending upon how much infrared radiation the object is emitting. The hotter areas emit larger amounts of infrared radiation and are lighter in color; the cooler areas appear darker. The device does not measure the actual temperature of its target; it only detects the relative temperatures of different areas of the object. A thermal imager is extremely sensitive and reportedly can detect temperature variations as small as 0.1 degrees centigrade. The images created by the device can be projected onto a small viewing screen or preserved on video- tape or photographs. The thermal imager is small enough to be hand- held, but often is mounted under a helicopter and flown over its target.

The technology is not new. The military has used it for years on the battlefield. Law enforcement has adopted the device only recently, using it in search and rescue operations, fugitive apprehensions, and along the border to detect drug smugglers and illegal border crossings. Moreover, thermal imagers have been particularly helpful, albeit controversial, in the detection of indoor marijuana-growing operations.

Tactics

Police will fly at an altitude between 1,200 and 1,500 feet in a helicopter fitted with FLIR. The thermal image of a structure will show the walls and other areas as bright white, indicating significant heat was escaping. This is than determined by the FLIR operator as being consistent with that of a structure being used for an indoor marijuana-growing operation.

In a court case (in the USA), one grow operation was busted with the method above, and while in court they argued that the FLIR system was used against their rights under the Fourth Amendment.

Fourth Amendment: 'The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.'

The district court concluded that the defendants had no subjective or actual expectation of privacy in the area scanned by the police with the FLIR. The court said that FLIR is limited to "detecting differences in temperature on the surface of the object being observed," and "did no more than gauge and reflect the amount of heat that emanated" from the defendants' house. In other words, the FLIR registered only heat escaping from the defendants' house. The court described this escaping heat as waste heat, or "abandoned heat," because the defendants had not tried to prevent its escape. Indeed, they used fans to vent the heat to the outside, voluntarily exposing it to the public. They never attempted "to impede its escape or exercise dominion over it." Under these circumstances, the court concluded that the defendants did not have an actual or subjective expectation of privacy in the waste heat.

If anything can be learned from this case, it is that you must actually make the effort to mask your signature and heat emissions, otherwise the police will be able to scan your structures with impunity(exemption from punishment or loss). If your an american grow operator, and you make the effort to mask your heat emissions, you can try to claim protection under the Forth Amendment.

Anti-FLIR Camouflage Techniques

On the modern battlefield, 70% of weapon systems worldwide use electro-optic or Infra-Red technology it is fundamental to realize the danger of thermal radiation and how to implement IR concealment.

There are several methods of creating an infra-red mask, One of the most basic way is the use of mylar or Aluminized "Space blankets". A space blanket is made of a laminated thin layer plastic film with a metallic coating. A major step up from the space blanket, which is a military specification casualty/Survival blanket. These are similar to the space blanket, but have a tarpaulin backing, which improves its insulation and durability. The use of blankets are somewhat limiting and can be expensive over a relatively large structure.

Another method is the use of Infra-Red Camouflage paint or variable emissivity paints. These are usually uniquely made for military applications and not sold to the general public, but a suitable replacement technology is ceramic insulating paint. This paint is designed for homes and is made to reduce heat emission of a structure to reduce power bills. Normally, the ceramic insulation comes in the form of micro beeds or spheres to form a matrix within the paint, and can be purchased as an additive to medium quality paints. This paint should than be applied to both sides of walls, and roof structure, to ensure maximum protection.

The method of masking is very important as a very basic form of protection against Infrared detection. It should be noted that the understanding of heat flow, can truely benefit the total reduction of heat that is detectable. Consider the concept of absorbing heat and exhaust from plant production, and venting them via long underground pipes such as a sewer pipes.

hxxp://tinyurl.com/6txfkq
 
Perhaps George Orwell had it right and was just no good at guessing when.

Step One: Train the public to accept what is good for the few and discard what is good for the many as policy.

Step Two: Display obvious dominance over the many. Make it clear to them that they have little to say about anything serious and that attempts to change the scale of "Big Brother's" ratio of dominance will result in discovery and capture. All methods of "Big Brother" are acceptable if it results in a capture of this kind.

Step Three: Turn on FLIR. Prepare to enforce "Big Brother's" wishes.
 

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