Teledyne FLIR Defense Announces Winners of 31st Annual Teledyne FLIR Vision Awards for Airborne Law Enforcement at APSCON Conference
Event honors police aviation crews across America for use of thermal imaging systems in search and rescue, high-speed pursuit, and other lifesaving missions;
Winning agencies from California, Florida, and Oklahoma
Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), announced the winners of the 31st Annual ‘Teledyne FLIR Vision Awards’ at the APSCON 2026 Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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Thermal image from one of the 2026 Teledyne FLIR Vision Award winners.
The Teledyne FLIR Vision Awards are presented to members of the airborne law enforcement community who have best demonstrated use of thermal imaging systems in carrying out their missions, whether conducting search and rescue efforts, pursuing suspects, or saving lives in other ways. The awards are divided into four categories, including the FANG Award for operations involving a K-9 support team.
This year’s winners are …
Vision Award: First Place
Tulsa Police Air Support Unit
Officer Michael Richert; Officer Isaac Wall
Vision Award: Second Place
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Sheriff Tom Hopman; Deputy Sheriff Cody Green
Vision Award: Third Place
Broward County Sheriff’s Office
Pilot Steven Hungler; Deputy TFO Jason Petrucci
Life Saver Award
Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Pilot Chase Gomez; Deputy Pilot Jonathan Lozada
Pursuit Awards
San Diego Police Department
Sergeant Matthew Zdunich; Officer Erik Skyhar
FANG Award
Tulsa Police Air Support Unit
Officer Jayson Smith; Officer Todd Hanson; K-9: Knox
"For more than 30 years, we have recognized the dedication and professionalism of the men and women in law enforcement who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe," said Dr. JihFen Lei, President of Teledyne Defense and Aerospace Group and Senior Vice President of Teledyne Technologies. "The Teledyne FLIR Vision Awards celebrate the remarkable achievements of police aviation crews that use thermal imaging technology to carry out critical missions and realize successful outcomes.
"We are proud to recognize their service to public safety and congratulate this year’s winners, along with all those who submitted entries, for their outstanding work," Lei added.
Teledyne FLIR has presented the Vision Awards and sponsored the APSCON conference for more than 25 years. A panel of judges nominate finalists and choose the winners based on several criteria, including:
- Crew Coordination – how well did the aircrew communicate and manage the incident, both inside the cockpit and with ground officers?
- Technical Competence – skill-level shown around search techniques, anticipating suspect behavior, focus under pressure, and operating imaging systems.
- The "FLIR Factor" – how instrumental were Teledyne FLIR thermal cameras in completing the mission?
Visit us online to learn more about Teledyne FLIR’s Surveillance and imaging solutions for airborne, land and maritime applications.
About Teledyne FLIR Defense
Teledyne FLIR Defense has been providing advanced, mission-critical technology and systems for more than 45 years. Our products are on the frontlines of the world’s most pressing military, security and public safety challenges. As a global leader in thermal imaging, we design and build sophisticated surveillance sensors for air, land and maritime use. We develop the most rugged, trusted unmanned air and ground platforms, as well as intelligent sensing devices used to detect chemicals, biological agents, radiation and explosives. At Teledyne FLIR Defense we bring together this expertise to deliver solutions that enable critical decisions and keep our world safe – from any threat, anywhere. To learn more, visit us online or follow @flir and @flir_defense.
About Teledyne Technologies
Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated digital imaging products and software, instrumentation, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne's operations are primarily located in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne's website at www.teledyne.com.
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Media Contacts:
Joe Ailinger, Jr.
Teledyne Defense and Aerospace
Phone: +1 781-999-2678
Email: joe.ailinger@teledyne.com
Tabitha Blankenbiller
Teledyne Defense and Aerospace
Phone: +1 971-272-5068
Email: Tabitha.blankenbiller@teledyne.com