Flir Company History
Follow the engineering that took IR from vans to handheld, connected cameras. From AGA’s first commercial scanners to today’s iXX workflow cameras. A history of the detectors, optics, and workflows that made invisible heat measurable—and useful.
View the full timeline below.
The Global Leader in the Design, Manufacture, and Marketing of Thermal Imaging Infrared Cameras
Established as Flir Systems in 1978 to pioneer the development of high-performance, low-cost infrared (thermal) imaging systems for airborne applications. Thermal imaging systems detect the infrared energy (heat) that is emitted by all people, objects and materials. Infrared cameras allow the operator to see in total darkness, adverse weather and through such air pollutants as smoke and haze.
Toward the end of the 1980s, Flir began to leverage its experience in infrared imaging technology to develop hand-held and laboratory systems for a variety of commercial applications that required not only superior image quality, but also the ability to detect and measure temperature differences. This effort accelerated with the acquisition of the industrial infrared imaging group from the Hughes Aircraft Co. in 1990.
The acquisition of Agema (Sweden) in 1998 and of Inframetrics (Boston, MA) in mid-1999 provided Flir engineering teams and sales and support infrastructure that accelerated Flir’s success in commercial thermal imaging markets. Together, Agema and Inframetrics represented over 60 years of significant infrared camera development and thermography applications expertise. Agema developed the first commercial infrared scanner, designed for powerline inspections, in 1965, the first battery-operated portable infrared scanner in 1973, the first dual-wavelength system capable of real-time analog recording for R&D markets in 1978, and the first uncooled infrared camera, the Agema 570, and 1997. Inframetrics, also a pioneer in commercial infrared cameras and thermography training, developed the first TV-compatible infrared system in 1975 and the first full-featured camcorder-style focal plane array (FPA) infrared camera in 1995.
In 2003, Flir acquired Indigo Systems, a leading developer and supplier of a wide range of infrared imaging products, including cooled and uncooled infrared detectors, camera cores, and finished cameras.
Ever since, Flir has invested in numerous adjacent markets, technologies, and products to expand its sensor solution set and its ability to service a broader set of customers. These investments have enabled significant growth in revenue and unit volumes, which has helped reduce the cost, and thus end user prices, of the products. This has resulted in dramatic increases in customers as well as increased global awareness of the power of thermal, visible, and now acoustic technology.
Acquired by Teledyne Technologies in 2021, Flir is a Teledyne brand that operates in many locations around the globe and employs more than 3,000 dedicated employees.
Important Dates
How it began
1965 — AGA develops the first commercial infrared scanner for powerline inspections, taking thermography from lab to field.
1973 — First battery-operated portable scanner; mobility expands inspections beyond fixed setups.
1975 — Inframetrics introduces the first TV-compatible IR system, simplifying image review and training.
1978 — Dual-wavelength system enables real-time analog recording for R&D and complex materials analysis.
Engineering for the field (1970s–1980s)
1980s — Long-wave (LWIR) advances reduce solar reflection issues for outdoor surveys; radiometry (temperature at a distance) becomes practical across more targets.
Late 1980s — Stirling-cooled mid-wave (MWIR) focal-plane arrays (FPAs) improve sensitivity and speed versus liquid nitrogen workflows.
From cooled to uncooled (1990s)
1995 — Inframetrics launches a full-featured, camcorder-style FPA camera—higher performance in a portable form.
1997 — Agema 570: the first uncooled long-wave microbolometer camera. Removing cryogens shrinks size, boosts uptime, and makes handheld thermography practical at scale.
1998–1999 — Flir acquires Agema (Sweden) and Inframetrics (Boston), combining decades of detector and thermography expertise.
Detectors, scale, and new applications (2000s)
2002 — Flir E-Series debuts: a modern platform that helps drive cost down and adoption up.
2003 — Flir acquires Indigo Systems, strengthening cooled and uncooled detector design and supply (detectors, cores, finished cameras).
2006–2007 — Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) cameras visualize fugitive VOCs (e.g., methane) and SF₆—enabling faster leak surveys and safety gains.
Clarity and connectivity (2010s)
2012 — MSX® (Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging) overlays crisp visual edges onto thermal data, keeping labels and components legible in the same frame as the heat signature—improving documentation quality.
2010s — Integrated Wi-Fi and app workflows begin moving images and annotations without SD cards; camera-to-cloud reporting takes shape.
Workflows, not just images (2020s)
2021 — Flir joins Teledyne Technologies, expanding resources across sensing and software.
2025 — iXX-Series launches: phone-familiar UI, guided capture, asset/load/ambient recorded at point of inspection, and automatic camera-to-cloud sync. Reports assemble in the background—decision-ready before the technician leaves site.
Why these milestones matter
- Cooled FPAs → sensitivity & speed: essential for demanding targets and fast transients.
- Uncooled LWIR microbolometers → access & scale: no cryogens, smaller form factor, longer run time.
- Radiometric imaging → measurement you can trust: temperature with context, not just pictures.
- MSX® → documentation clarity: the part you saw is the part you report.
Camera-to-cloud → decisions sooner: evidence moves while it’s still useful. - iXX → expert-grade, day one: the workflow is embedded; the tool feels familiar.
