AVT Australia, the Asia-Pacific division of Ascent Vision Technologies, used Singapore Airshow 2020 to present its CM262M maritime gyrostabilised multi-sensor imaging system for the first time.

The new sensor has been rigorously tested in maritime environments and is suitable for installation on any vessel from the size of a RIB upwards, according to the company. 

CM262M, which measures 260mm deep and 395mm high, is a maritime version of the 12kg CM262 sensor.

Designed for ISR and counter-UAV (C-UAV) functions, it is specifically designed to prevent water ingression and corrosion.

Jason Beasleigh, VP Asia-Pacific at AVT Australia, told Shephard that the high-definition sensor features shortwave IR; medium-wave IR with 20x optical zoom; a daylight channel with 60x zoom; and a laser rangefinder.

CM262 is used on the ground-based X-MADIS C-UAV system.

X-MADIS, which stands for eXpeditionary Mobile Air Defence Integrated System, is a full-spectrum counter-UAS (C-UAS) system that detects, locates, tracks, identifies and defeats one or multiple small UAS. It is available in fixed-site, mobile and on-the-move variants.

The integrated radar system on X-MADIS offers a 360° detection range of 3.5km for nano-UAS and up to 15km for medium-sized UAS.

X-MADIS has been mounted on Polaris MRZR 4x4 all-terrain vehicles and Colorado SUVs to provide on-the-move C-UAS.

Dozens of X-MADIS units are in operation worldwide to support defence and security operations. Beasleigh described ‘significant interest’ in Southeast Asia to employ AVT's C-UAS products for asset protection. 

As well as use on land, these systems can be mounted on ships. In June 2019, the USMC used a variant called LMADIS to take down an Iranian UAV that flew too near USS Boxer in the Strait of Hormuz.

Also on display was the company’s Micro Gimbal, which is about to be launched onto the market. This miniaturised gyrostabilised system can carry a 500g payload and is designed for smaller UAVs. It weighs less than 220g.