VSD-C2 FAQs

VSD comes in four ready-to-run versions. VSD-Camera Standard and Advanced display and control cameras. VSD-C2 Standard adds one type of C2 sensor or effector, such as a radar or jammer. VSD-C2 Advanced supports up to four types, plus 3D and panorama windows.

• VSD-Camera Standard: multi-camera PTZ control, live video windows, a 2D map window with slew-to-cue, camera tours, customisable video preset buttons and a setup wizard.
• VSD-Camera Advanced: adds third-party video trackers and AI classifiers, AIS and ADS-B display, navigation data input and a line-of-sight coverage map tool.
• VSD-C2 Standard: adds one C2 sensor or effector type, alarm processing across zones and gates, radar video and track PPI display, MIL-STD-2525D symbology and a sortable track table.
• VSD-C2 Advanced: up to four C2 sensor or effector types, multi-step workflows, 3D visualisation windows and a panorama window covering up to 360° in azimuth.

All versions run on standard Windows PC workstations, laptops or servers. Record and replay via RDR Data Recorder is an optional extra from VSD-Camera Advanced upwards.

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VSD supports 2D and 3D ground-based radars from APS, Blighter, Echodyne, Hensoldt, Leonardo DRS RADA, Robin Radar Systems, Teledyne FLIR and Weibel, plus radars that output ASTERIX CAT-048 or CAT-062 or use the SAPIENT protocol. Radar is a C2 sensor type, so it needs a VSD-C2 version.

• APS: FIELDctrl radar family
• ASTERIX protocol radars: CAT-048 and CAT-062 (for example Saab Giraffe 1X)
• Blighter: A800 Mk 2, A400/C400/B400 series, B303 and B202 Mk 2
• Echodyne: EchoShield and EchoGuard
• Hensoldt: Spexer 600, Spexer 360 Enhanced and Spexer 360
• Leonardo DRS RADA Technologies: ieMHR (RPS-80, RPS-81, RPS-82 and RPS-84)
• Robin Radar Systems: IRIS and ELVIRA
• SAPIENT protocol radars: BSI Flex 335 V2.0
• Teledyne FLIR: Ranger R20SS series, R8SS series, R6SS, R5D, R5, R3D, R3, R2 and R1
• Weibel Scientific: XENTA-M and XENTA-C

Cambridge Pixel's processing and display are independent of the radar sensor, so you can deploy different radars in different situations while keeping the same software architecture. Radar tracking can be added with SPx Server (2D) or SPx Tracker-3D (3D).

See the supported radars list, or contact us about a radar not listed here.

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VSD supports PTZ cameras that use ONVIF (Profile S) or Pelco-D, SAPIENT protocol cameras, and named EO/IR cameras from Hensoldt, OpenWorks Engineering and Teledyne FLIR. Video can be received over ONVIF, MPEG-TS, RTP or RTSP, encoded as H.264 or H.265.

• Hensoldt: NightOwl M
• OpenWorks Engineering: Vision Flex and Vision Guard
• Teledyne FLIR: Ranger HRC, HDC series and PT-Series
• SAPIENT protocol cameras: BSI Flex 335 V2.0

Cameras can be controlled manually with a joystick, gaming controller, touchscreen or on-screen controls, or automatically to follow a detected radar track (slew-to-cue). A video tracker can be added to control the camera directly from the camera video.

With the optional SPx Camera Manager, camera control can be shared and prioritised between several display applications.

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Yes, provided you use a VSD-C2 version, which adds radar support. Once a target is acquired on radar, VSD moves a camera to the reported position and updates the camera position from each radar detection. This is called slew-to-cue.

A wide range of radar types is supported as input. Every VSD version, including VSD-Camera Standard, can also slew cameras to a point selected on the map window. A video tracker can then control the camera directly from the camera video.

See What radars does VSD support?

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VSD-Camera Advanced and both VSD-C2 versions support third-party video tracking systems and AI-based classifier modules, including Chess Dynamics Vision4ce (CHARM and DART), OpenWorks Engineering SkyAI, Vizgard FortifAI, Walaris AirScout and SAPIENT protocol devices. VSD-Camera Standard does not include video tracker support.

Video tracking works alongside radar in VSD: a radar track can slew a camera onto the target (slew-to-cue), and the video tracker can then control the camera directly from the camera video.

See the VSD product page for the full list of supported devices.

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Yes. VSD-C2 Advanced controls cameras plus up to four types of C2 sensor or effector, such as radars, radio direction finders and RF jammers, from one display. VSD-C2 Standard supports cameras plus a single C2 sensor or effector type.

For counter-UAS, VSD supports:

• Security and drone detection radars, including Echodyne, Blighter and Robin Radar
• Radio direction finders and ESM: CRFS RFeye Array, MyDefence Watchdog (via Argos), SPX TCI Blackbird series and SAPIENT devices
• RF inhibitors and jammers: MyDefence Dobermann (via Argos), SPX ECS Claw and SAPIENT devices
• Third-party video trackers and AI classifiers, such as OpenWorks Engineering SkyAI and Walaris AirScout

With several sensors and effectors connected, VSD-C2 Advanced can run multi-step workflows or control chains. It also adds 3D visualisation and panorama windows.

See counter-UAS and drone detection for how VSD fits with Cambridge Pixel's other C-UAS software.

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Yes, provided the reports are first converted with SPx Track Manager. VSD receives track reports and can use them to trigger alarms and control cameras and laser rangefinders. Where required, an SPx Track Manager licence for radar format conversion is included with VSD-C2.

To generate track reports from plot reports, use SPx Server (2D) or SPx Tracker-3D (3D). VSD-C2 can also output tracks in ASTERIX, SPx and TAK CoT formats.

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Yes. VSD shows a georeferenced map with the positions of radars, cameras and targets of interest. Maps are downloaded automatically from an internet connection, can be cached for use without one, or custom maps can be loaded.

Every version has a 2D tiled map window showing each camera's field of view and bearing, which can also be used to slew cameras. Display windows support real-time overlaid symbology, including MIL-STD-2525D symbols in VSD-C2. VSD-C2 Advanced adds 3D visualisation windows.

VSD-Camera Advanced and above include a line-of-sight coverage map tool to help choose sensor locations with minimal blind spots.

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Yes. Many VSD capabilities can be customised, including the display presentation, window layout and controls. For more specialised needs, Cambridge Pixel offers a customisation and rapid prototyping service covering interface changes, branding and support for new devices.

For example, Vizgard uses a customised and branded version of VSD. See frameworks and custom displays for more examples.

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Choose VSD for smaller mobile or single-operator systems, camera-only systems, or systems that integrate video trackers, laser rangefinders or radio direction finders. Choose RadarWatch for larger systems with multiple operators, multiple long-range radars, more complex alarm handling or electronic chart (ENC) support.

The two products have overlapping features, and VSD is simpler to operate. RadarWatch supports up to four radar inputs and 16 camera inputs, S-57 charts, and alarms based on areas, gates, proximity, speed and CPA/TCPA.

Not sure which fits? Contact us to discuss your project.

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Besides radar, VSD-C2 supports acoustic direction finders, laser rangefinders and radio direction finders as C2 sensors, and acoustic hailing devices, laser dazzlers and RF inhibitors or jammers as C2 effectors. VSD-C2 Standard supports one type from these lists; VSD-C2 Advanced supports up to four.

• Acoustic direction finders: Squarehead Technology Discovair G2 (native API or SAPIENT)
• Laser rangefinders: Safran Vectronix LRF series
• Radio direction finders and ESM: CRFS RFeye Array, MyDefence Watchdog sensors via Argos, SPX TCI Blackbird series
• Acoustic hailing devices: Genasys LRAD 950NXT
• Laser dazzlers: Wavelength Solutions / Passive Force Medusa series
• RF inhibitors and jammers: MyDefence Dobermann jammers via Argos, SPX ECS Claw RF Inhibitor

Devices of each type that use the SAPIENT protocol (BSI Flex 335 V2.0) are also supported. VSD allows both local and remote control of sensors and effectors, and support for new devices can be added by Cambridge Pixel's engineering team. Contact us about a device not listed here.

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VSD supports ASTERIX, SAPIENT (BSI Flex 335 V2.0 and NATO STANREC/AEDP-4869), TAK Cursor-on-Target (CoT), MIL-STD-2525D symbology, SEIWG ICD-0101 XML, NMEA-0183 GNSS/INS navigation data, AIS and ADS-B. VSD-C2 can output tracks in ASTERIX, SPx and TAK CoT formats.

The supported categories, types and levels vary by standard; contact Cambridge Pixel for details. For background on SAPIENT, see the SAPIENT FAQs.

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VSD is used in ground mobile as well as ground fixed systems, but full on-the-move (OTM) operation is listed as a planned future release. At present, GNSS/INS navigation data is used only to orient and position a stationary vehicle platform automatically.

OTM operation is planned as a cost option for VSD-C2 Advanced. Contact us for the current status.

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