Bental Motion Systems' latest development, a stabilized camera system for Micro and Mini-UAV, is currently being tested for use at the German Armed Forces

08:30 GMT, November 11, 2008 Frankfurt | German Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement assigned UAV manufacturer EMT with testing of the MicroBAT 275, Bental's latest development of a stabilized camera system for light weight UAVs. The intention of the tests is to equip close range UAVs in the field with Bental's stabilized camera system.

"With the use of Bental's stabilized camera system we hope to improve the picture quality of surveillance flights by our close range unmanned aerial vehicles," says Guenter Freiwald, Project Manager Close Range UAV at the German Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement.

Headquartered in Israel, Bental manufactures electrical motion systems for aerospace and defense applications. Bental's latest development, a stabilized gimbal with daylight or night vision camera MicroBAT 275, optimally suits for integrating imaging sensors usually only found on larger platforms into light weight UAV.

"Our stabilized camera system MicroBAT 275 has a diameter of 2.75 inch and a weight including housing, of only 350g," says Oliver Kittan, representative of Bental in Germany, "This likely makes it the most light-weight and compact camera system of its kind in the world."

Several UAV manufacturers have already integrated Bental's stabilized camera system into their platforms. Among them are ITL with their UAV Lightener, and Oto Melara and Celin Avio with their UAV Ibis.

German UAV manufacturer, EMT, is currently testing integration of Bental's camera system into its UAV systems. "The low weight of Bental's stabilized camera system, MicroBAT 275, predestines it for use in EMT´s family of UAVs", says Kittan.