Leonardo DRS launches Tenum 640 Orbit uncooled thermal drone camera at SOF Week

Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced today the launch of Tenum 640 Orbit, an advanced uncooled long-wave infrared (LWIR) thermal camera module optimised for unmanned air, ground, and maritime platforms. The company will debut Tenum 640 Orbit at SOF Week in Tampa, FL.

"Unmanned systems are fielding at scale. Integrators and operators need thermal cameras that are both mission-capable and integration-friendly," said Greg Christison, vice president, Sensors & Aviation, at Leonardo DRS. "Tenum 640 Orbit is a size, weight, power and cost (SWAP-c) optimised OEM camera module to help accelerate integration timelines and enable broader deployment across small, unmanned platforms without compromising performance."

Configured for high-volume integration for Group 1–3 UAV, Tenum 640 Orbit is an ideal cost-optimised payload for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), and unmanned surface vessel (USV) applications. The module is built around an uncooled VOx microbolometer and delivers 640 x 512 resolution with 10 µm pixel pitch in the 8–14 µm spectral band.

Tenum 640 Orbit provides persistent high frame-rate thermal imagery for detection, tracking, navigation, and collision/obstacle avoidance in day/night and degraded-visibility environments, extending endurance for small unmanned systems in an ultra-compact footprint. The camera core supports 60 frames per second (fps) and delivers <20 mK thermal sensitivity. Built to streamline OEM integration, Tenum 640 Orbit is Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) camera serial interface (CSI) / camera command set (CCS) compatible with optional USB connectivity and configurable video outputs.

Leonardo DRS will provide additional information and product demonstrations of Tenum 640 Orbit at SOF Week. Attendees are invited to visit Leonardo DRS to learn how our uncooled camera technology enables scalable thermal imaging for unmanned platforms through simplified integration and cost-efficient deployment.