Trailblazer – Vehicle vision sensor
Trailblazer
TRAILBLAZER –Amoured Vision
TRAILBLAZER improves driver and crew effectiveness by extending the field of view beyond the daylight spectrum, even in adverse weather, obscured or low-light conditions. Featuring a range of very low-latency camera units, it aids the driver in terrain negotiation, obstacle avoidance and route selection while maintaining complete situational awareness. Independent wide-angle channel outputs give crew and commander a powerful surveillance and threat detection capability with world-leading contrast enhancement processing. GVA compliant, native digital and analogue variants make TRAILBLAZER easy to integrate.
TRAILBLAZER is provided with expert project management; systems configuration and integration capability; and a range of off-the-shelf or bespoke displays and other ancillary equipment. The software-defined architecture allows customers to receive the latest feature enhancements and upgrades, supporting iterative capability development models.
The system
TRAILBLAZER is designed for hatches down driving in tracked and wheeled armoured vehicles, where the field of view is typically restricted or degraded. Other specialist vehicles such as engineering or special operations platforms can also benefit.
Separate forward and reverse units provide total system effectiveness. DEF STAN 00-082 VIVOE Ethernet Interfaces make the system easy to integrate to a Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA) system, and native HD-SDI interfaces or analogue video outputs provide a closed circuits output for conventional vetronics fit-out. The network output also provides other users with independent Situational Awareness (SA) fields of view, minimising the need for separate SA sensors.
A variety for fields of view can be selected by all users; WIDE, DRIVING and SA (including ground), all presented flexibly as individual output channels, or via native picture-in-picture modes.
Now available in a range of variants offering users 90 °, 180° and 240° field of view and daylight and infrared only options.
Customisation
To support stand-alone and hybrid installations, Rheinmetall offers a range of optimised TRAILBLAZER displays; the Display and Control Unit (DCU) and Drivers Display Unit (DDU). These displays have been specifically designed for situations where the user needs to access digital video feeds, but where the space envelope is severely constrained, such as the driver compartment of modern armoured vehicles. They are available in a range of resolutions with a number of fixed function buttons and configurable buttons to deliver a flexible user interface, tailored to the specific requirements of each installation.
The TRAILBLAZER displays are fully hosted by the camera module and do not require any additional data or power connection to the vehicle to support stand-alone installation.
| Model range | DCU9 | DCU5 | DCU8 |
| Viewing angle degrees | 85/85/85 | 85/85/85 | 85/85/85 |
| Latency | <20 ms | <20 ms | <20 ms |
| Weight | <2.5 kg | <2.0 kg | <2.0 kg |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) without connectors |
250 x 150 x 35 mm | 200 x 100 x 35 mm | 310 x 126 x 28 mm |