Trillium Engineering, a developer of gimbaled cameras for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), announced that it will be supplying Martin UAV with Orion HD80 camera systems in support of a next-generation UAS program.

An advanced modified version of Martin UAV's V-BAT 128 was selected to be the Navy's next-generation VTOL expeditionary platform due to its small logistical footprint and quick set-up time. The V-BAT excels at taking off and landing on both stationary and moving platforms, in areas with a footprint smaller than 12x12 feet, and provides interchangeable payloads to meet mission-specific requirements.

Martin UAV's modified V-BAT 128 is slated to supplement systems currently in use, a decision made following an Mi2 Technical Demonstration conducted in November-December at Yuma Proving Ground, in Arizona.

"We look forward to supplying Martin UAV with a mix of our HD80 gimbaled camera systems for their V-BAT," said Jeff Hammitt, Program Manager at Trillium. "Competitively priced, the 8-inch-diameter HD80 is a perfect fit for tactical, Group 3 UAS and provides the highest resolution option on the market for its size."

The Orion HD80 comes in three versions:

- The HD80-VV-510, 30x optical zoom visible camera and a long focal-length spotter camera.

- The HD80-LV-CZ, 30x optical zoom visible camera and a 5x optical zoom uncooled, long-wave infrared camera; and

- The HD80-MV, 30x optical zoom visible camera and a 15x optical zoom cooled MWIR camera.

The Martin UAV V-BAT is a tail-sitting UAS that takes off and lands like a rotary-wing platform, flies like a fixed-wing platform for longer endurance, and has extended hover ability for operational flexibility. The V-BAT has an air endurance of 11 hours, a wingspan of 9.7 feet, and a payload capacity of 25 pounds.

"Trillium Engineering and Martin UAV have collaborated on camera payloads and UAS for nearly three years now," Hammitt said. "We've built a close relationship with Martin UAV, working to understand their specific needs and taking the time to develop special integrations for their airframes."

He added that the Mi2 win will be a continuation of this hand-in-glove collaboration.

"Martin UAV's V-BAT was designed to address the needs of the warfighter, and the HD80 is ideal for the V-BAT's mission of providing full situational awareness in any environment. The HD80's resolution and top-quality construction are a perfect fit," said Austin Howard, Chief Technology Officer at Martin UAV.

The U.S. Navy is expected to award a prototyping contract to Martin UAV this summer.