Israel's SCD has introduced the Sparrow HD, a 1.3-megapixel mid-wave infrared detector designed for tactical FPV drones and loitering munitions. Its headline feature is a 5-micron pixel pitch, which the company describes as an industry first and the smallest available. In simple terms, smaller pixels let more of them fit on the sensor, so the camera can pick up more detail on a target. The module weighs just 0.35 kg and draws under 4 watts, which matters because small drones have very little room, battery power or budget to spare. SCD says that combination delivers low-noise thermal imagery, longer detection range and a wider field of view for identifying targets from small platforms.

SCD is a joint venture of Israeli defense giants Rafael and Elbit, and its Sparrow family is already used in drones, perimeter security and precision munitions. In October 2026, the company announced three new contracts worth about $40 million for its mid-wave infrared detectors, citing rising global demand for compact, high-resolution thermal sensing. Those performance figures come from the manufacturer, and independent field results have not been made public. That leaves a few open questions about how the sensor performs in real combat conditions and what cheap, sharp thermal vision means for the future of small drones. It also raises the question of how quickly rivals will try to match it.