Vortex and Hornady Introduce Revolutionary Bullet-Cam Ammo

Vortex Optics and Hornady have joined forces to create what may be the most remarkable new bullet technology in the past 20 years. Vortex has adapted a miniature video system to fit inside the tips of rifle bullets. The micro-sized camera/transmitter was originally developed for miniature spy drones. Vortex cleverly figured out to make these tiny little video cameras work when carried on a spinning projectile launched from a rifle.

The revolutionary bullet-cam is the equivalent of the camera in the nose of a “smart” bomb or missile, but micro-miniaturized. This new technology allows you to literally watch your bullet fly into the target. For long-range shots with extended flight times, the view is mesmerizing. Hunters should be very excited. With the Bullet-Cam, you can record the “shot of a lifetime” on a trophy hunt. One has to commend Vortex for achieving this electro-optical breakthrough. Kudos also to Hornady for incorporating the micro-optics into shootable ammunition.

Vortex Video Shows New Bullet-Cam in Action:

A live feed from the Bullet-Cam streams right to your device for instant viewing. Once the Bullet-Cam hits the target, recording stops and the video is automatically uploaded to the VTX Cloud where it can be shared to social media.

Software Indexing Magic Creates Stable, Viewable Image
How is the image viewable though the bullet is spinning at thousands of RPM? The answer is surprisingly simple — and achieved through software. The bullet RPM is referenced by a microprocessor, so the camera’s software simply snaps a picture of the target every few micro-seconds, when the target is in exactly the same orientation. The lens is spinning, but it only captures visual data once every rotation (i.e. image capture is rotationally-indexed). This “stream of stills” is then blended into the video feed. What the viewer sees is a stable movie as though the camera was mounted on a non-rotating, fin-stabilized projectile. This rotationally-sequenced image-capture process made the whole project possible. We’re told that the Pentagon was so impressed with the technology that it is looking to fit Bullet-Cams into a variety of spin-stabilized ordnance, including artillery shells and large-caliber (.50 BMG) sniper rounds.

Vortex Engineer Ian Klemm, a top F-TR shooter, helped develop the innovative Bullet-Cam. Ian says: “Our goal with … Vortex products is to allow our customers to see things clearly from all vantage points. When it comes to bullet impact though, shooters have had to relay on traditional optics to determine accuracy from long distances. We were determined to provide an additional point of view (POV) to improve precision and overall performance. [We want] shooters to have the most advanced tools in the industry, to achieve the most accurate shots. With the Bullet-Cam you will always know if you are way off or dead on.”

Ten Bucks Per Shot — Great for Hunters
Considering the technology involved, the Bullet-Cam product is suprisingly affordable. A box of ten (10) cam-equipped cartridges is only $99.99. So, for about ten bucks per shot, you can actually see your shots fly downrange and into the target. That’s something that’s never been possible with sporting ammunition. This new technology unlocks a whole new world for precision shooters. And for hunters — the Bullet-Cam literally allows you to record the shot of a lifetime on a trophy animal. You can then share that memorable experience via Facebook, Twitter or other social media.