Vision System Helps Airport Emergency Responders

A Canadian company has introduced technology that it says will improve visibility for firefighters to deal with dangerous incidents where visibility can be near-zero. At the recent Aero Asia show in China, Longan Vision demonstrated its Fusion Vision System (FVS), which provides a hands-free augmented reality (AR) thermal solution for critical airport rescue operations, including aircraft cabin and cargo fires, runway fuel spills, and post-crash search and rescue.

“The FVS is purpose-built for extreme rescue environments, unlike consumer AR or standalone thermal cameras,” Longan Vision CEO Enzo Jia told AIN. “It combines certified thermal imaging, ruggedized hardware, and real-time command connectivity into one hands-free wearable system.”

The system overlays real-time thermal imaging with AR visuals, allowing emergency responders to view heat signatures through smoke, identify aircraft structures, locate victims, and receive live instructions—all without taking their eyes off the incident they are dealing with. According to the Ontario-based company, the combination of AR and thermal data helps teams maintain situational awareness, make faster decisions, and enables quicker victim location, safer navigation, and more coordinated team movements.

Jia added that FVS streams live video, location, and unit status to command centers, giving incident commanders immediate visibility of frontline conditions to support faster tactical decisions, efficient resource deployment, and personnel tracking.

“Hands-free AR thermal vision enhances safety and efficiency in low-visibility or high-risk emergencies by eliminating the need to carry handheld devices,” he explained. “Firefighters maintain full mobility while receiving continuous visual intelligence, reducing disorientation, search time, and exposure to hazards.”

The system is already deployed or undergoing testing with airport and municipal fire departments in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Osaka, multiple Korean cities, New York City, and Vaughan in Canada. Longan Vision said it has also been adopted by several European emergency response agencies.

Planned upgrades include AI-assisted human and hazard detection, improved positioning, expanded command software, and lighter, aviation-specific configurations.