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Leonardo DRS unveils Tenum 640 Orbit uncooled thermal drone camera for small unmanned systems
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Business/The Apex Times/Jun 8, 4:18 PM EDT

Leonardo DRS unveils Tenum 640 Orbit uncooled thermal drone camera for small unmanned systems

The defense electronics company says its new 640 x 512 thermal camera module is designed for OEM integration on Group 1-3 UAVs, UGVs and USVs, with 60 frames per second video and SWaP-C optimization.

By The Apex Times Newsroom3 min readAI-assisted Apex article

Leonardo DRS said it has launched the Tenum 640 Orbit, an uncooled long-wave infrared (LWIR) thermal camera module aimed at shrinking the time and cost of integrating thermal sensing into unmanned air, ground and maritime platforms. The company announced the launch on May 18, 2026, with the debut planned for SOF Week in Tampa, Florida (May 18-21).

In the release, Leonardo DRS described the module as a size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C) optimized “OEM camera module” intended for high-volume integration. It said integrators and operators need thermal cameras that are both “mission-capable and integration-friendly,” and it positioned the product as a way to broaden deployment across small unmanned systems without trading off performance.

Tenum 640 Orbit is built around an uncooled VOx microbolometer, a thermal sensor technology that detects infrared energy without requiring cryogenic cooling. The company said the camera delivers 640 x 512 resolution, a 10 µm pixel pitch and operates in the 8-14 µm spectral band, which is the typical atmospheric window used for LWIR thermal imaging.

Leonardo DRS also gave performance details tailored to real-time use cases. It said the core supports 60 frames per second (fps) and is intended for detection, tracking, navigation and collision or obstacle avoidance in day/night and degraded-visibility environments. The company added that the module provides thermal sensitivity of less than 20 mK, where “mK” (millikelvin) is a measure of how small a temperature difference the sensor can resolve.

To reduce integration friction, the company said Tenum 640 Orbit uses a Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) camera serial interface (CSI) and a camera command set (CCS) and can support optional USB connectivity, along with configurable video outputs. Separately, Leonardo DRS’ product page says the module is shutterless, includes non-uniformity correction for image stability, and is engineered for low power with a nominal power figure around 1.2 watts, packaged in a 16.4 cubic centimeter volume and weighing 28 grams.

Company officials framed the launch around the pace at which unmanned systems are being fielded at scale. Greg Christison, vice president for Sensors & Aviation at Leonardo DRS, said the company designed Tenum 640 Orbit to help “accelerate integration timelines” and support broader deployment across small unmanned platforms. The company also said it would provide additional information and product demonstrations at SOF Week.

The company did not disclose which specific customers or programs will use the camera, whether it has secured any purchase orders, or how quickly integrators can qualify the module for operational deployments. It also did not publish pricing, production volumes, or supply chain details, and it did not specify whether particular lens options, fields of view, or interface configurations are already standardized across targeted UAV, UGV and USV platforms.

For the market, the launch indicates Leonardo DRS’ continued push to compete in the uncooled thermal sensor and integration layer for small unmanned systems, where payload designers often prioritize low power, compact size and faster engineering cycles. What to watch next is whether Leonardo DRS follows the SOF Week debut with named integrator partnerships, demonstration results on platform testing, or any follow-on disclosures tying Tenum 640 Orbit to specific defense programs or sustained procurement.

Why It Matters

  • Uncooled thermal modules are increasingly important for small unmanned platforms because they can avoid the cost and weight penalties of cooled sensors, while still supporting mission-critical detection and navigation.
  • The emphasis on OEM integration interfaces such as MIPI CSI/CCS suggests Leonardo DRS is trying to win at the design-in stage, where reduced engineering time can speed adoption across multiple platform makers.
  • 60 fps and stated thermal sensitivity targets align with use cases like tracking and obstacle avoidance, which can drive requirements for sustained real-time thermal video in autonomous systems.
  • If Leonardo DRS can demonstrate qualification and deployment fit across multiple small unmanned platforms, the launch could support broader scale production of thermal payloads for ISR and other roles.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Leonardo DRS launched Tenum 640 Orbit, an uncooled LWIR thermal camera module for unmanned air, ground and maritime platforms, with a debut at SOF Week (May 18-21, 2026) in Tampa, Florida.
  • The module is designed for high-volume OEM integration for Group 1-3 UAVs, plus UGVs and USVs, with SWaP-C optimization emphasized in the launch materials.
  • Tenum 640 Orbit provides 640 x 512 thermal resolution using a 10 µm pixel pitch VOx microbolometer operating in the 8-14 µm spectral band.
  • Leonardo DRS said the camera supports 60 fps video and is intended for detection, tracking, navigation and collision or obstacle avoidance, including day/night and degraded-visibility environments.
  • The company cited thermal sensitivity of less than 20 mK and described the module as shutterless, with non-uniformity correction for image stability.
  • Integration claims include MIPI CSI/CCS compatibility and optional USB connectivity, along with configurable video outputs; the product page also states a nominal power around 1.2 W, a 16.4 cc package volume and a weight of 28 grams.

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