General Atomics

HRH The Princess Royal opens thermal imaging facility at Thermoteknix

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal opened a new electro-optics facility at Thermoteknix in Cambridge and presented the company with the King’s Award for Enterprise trophy for Innovation, in recognition of the company’s groundbreaking development in thermal imaging.



Above: Managing Director Dr Richard Salisbury proudly accepts the King’s Award for Enterprise (Innovation) from HRH The Princess Royal.
Courtesy Thermoteknix


Employing 75 people, Thermoteknix was established in 1982 by Managing Director Dr Richard Salisbury. The company manufactures a wide range of industrial and surveillance infrared based systems. With more than 40 years of milestones and groundbreaking innovation, the company made history in 2009 when its thermal imaging cameras were used by NASA on its successful LCROSS moon landing mission which identified the presence of lunar sub-surface water.

Thermoteknix has been the recipient of five such prestigious Queen’s and King’s Awards in recognition of its innovation and sales success in overseas trade, helping to promote the United Kingdom’s status as a world leader in design, manufacturing and customer success.    



Above:
Software Development Manager Simon Hothersall demonstrates the latest AR and thermal imaging breakthroughs to HRH The Princess Royal during her visit to Thermoteknix.
Courtesy Thermoteknix

The Princess Royal toured Thermoteknix’ headquarters in Cambridge, during which Her Royal Highness was given demonstrations of the company’s thermal imaging products, including cameras and systems which reduce industrial Carbon emissions, and fused night vision goggles which deliver UK forces with superior situational awareness and Augmented Reality capabilities.

The Princess Royal, attended by Mrs Julie Spence, Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridge, greeted Thermoteknix employees from each department and formally opened the new electro-optics facility and presented The King’s Award for Enterprise trophy to Managing Director, Dr Richard Salisbury.

The Princess Royal then unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark her visit.

The new electro-optics facility will support the company’s growth and increased demand for its thermal imaging products by forces around the world.   



Dr Salisbury commented: “It was an absolute privilege to host Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at our headquarters in Cambridge and to receive the King’s Award for Enterprise trophy form her. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to present our exceptional staff to Her Majesty. This Award is a testimony to their skills, dedication and commitment. The visit marks a crowning moment for Thermoteknix as we celebrate and prepare for the year ahead with new product launches and expansion of our work force.

“The King’s Awards are one of the UK’s most prestigious awards and to have had the pleasure of a visit from The Princess Royal for its presentation is a massive honour which will be a lifelong memory for every one of our team at Thermoteknix.”

Related

British Airways chooses Pratt & Whitney engines for next A320neo fleet
british airways a320neo
British Airways chooses Pratt & Whitney engines for next A320neo fleet
The agreement introduces Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan technology to British Airways’ latest-generation short-haul fleet from 2027.
Aerospace Member News

20 Jul 2026

UK eVTOL developer Vertical Aerospace adds Sigma Air Mobility as Valo customer
VErtical aerospace does a deal with Sigma Air Mobility backed by Luxaviation
UK eVTOL developer Vertical Aerospace adds Sigma Air Mobility as Valo customer
The agreement brings Luxaviation’s global operating experience into the UK-developed Valo programme as Vertical prepares for certification and commercial service.
Aerospace Most Read

20 Jul 2026

UK risks missing aerospace MRO boom without national strategy, NMIS warns
British Airways Airbus A380 in the MRO workshop
UK risks missing aerospace MRO boom without national strategy, NMIS warns
NMIS CTO Coreen McCubbin says the UK must invest in skills, digital technology and MRO innovation or risk losing aftermarket work to rival global hubs.
Aerospace Defence Insights

18 Jul 2026

UK risks missing aerospace MRO boom without national strategy, NMIS warns
British Airways Airbus A380 in the MRO workshop
UK risks missing aerospace MRO boom without national strategy, NMIS warns
NMIS CTO Coreen McCubbin says the UK must invest in skills, digital technology and MRO innovation or risk losing aftermarket work to rival global hubs.
Aerospace Defence Insights

18 Jul 2026

UK commits £255m to prepare Ukraine for Saab Gripen E fighters
Saab Gripen E for Ukraine
UK commits £255m to prepare Ukraine for Saab Gripen E fighters
The package will fund training, simulators, spare parts and logistics for Ukraine’s future Gripen E fleet while supporting around 5,000 jobs across the UK defence supply chain.
Defence Most Read

17 Jul 2026

Storm Fighter to lead new RAF collaborative combat aircraft family
BAE Systems Tempest with loyal wingman drones
Storm Fighter to lead new RAF collaborative combat aircraft family
Why the RAF is now racing do develop not only a high-end CCA called Storm Fighter, but also a complementary family of smaller autonomous aircraft to fly alongside crewed fighters.
Defence Most Read

17 Jul 2026

UK space sector punches above its weight but struggles to scale
United kingdom from space by NASA
UK space sector punches above its weight but struggles to scale
Britain captures around 5% of the global space market despite accounting for approximately 1% of government space spending worldwide. However, the UK Space Agency’s final annual report warns that the country has yet to solve its persistent scale-up challenge.
Space

17 Jul 2026

Serco awarded ESA contract to support FLEX Earth observation mission
Earth observation satellite
Serco awarded ESA contract to support FLEX Earth observation mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) has contracted Serco to manage and deliver FLEX satellite data products to its users.
Member News Space

17 Jul 2026

ESA selects Keysight to develop 5G NTN anomaly detection
6G network
ESA selects Keysight to develop 5G NTN anomaly detection
Keysight will serve as the prime contractor, collaborating with Sateliot to support key technical development and satellite mission integration.
Member News Space

16 Jul 2026

Critical UK sectors targeted by Russian cyber actors
A hacker at a computer as government urges organisations to improve cyber security
Critical UK sectors targeted by Russian cyber actors
A new advisory has been issued by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and international partner agencies, urging the UK and its allies to defend against Russian state cyber actors’ global exploitation of poorly configured routers, as the UK sanctions Russian state and criminal networks for cyber and hybrid operations and calls out the FSB for a reckless attack on Poland’s energy grid.
Security

17 Jul 2026

UK defence SMEs unite under new Spearhead delivery collective
Spearhead SME member representatives
UK defence SMEs unite under new Spearhead delivery collective
Twenty-eight UK-owned defence and security SMEs have formed Spearhead, offering government and prime contractors access to specialist capability through one contract and one accountable delivery team.
Lockheed Martin Ventures opens London office with $100m UK and Europe fund
Lockheed Martin Ventures
Lockheed Martin Ventures opens London office with $100m UK and Europe fund
Lockheed Martin Ventures has chosen London for its first office outside the United States, with at least $100 million earmarked for UK and European defence technology start-ups.