With the ability to capture high-resolution imagery while operating in the most challenging environments around the world, Leonardo technology has brought pioneering new perspectives to sport and BBC wildlife documentaries for more than a decade.

In November 2006, international cricket introduced new technology – as part of the Ashes Test Series in Australia – in an effort to deliver accurate umpiring decisions. Trials continued in the following years, before BBC Sport introduced a new generation of Hot Spot, underpinned by Leonardo’s SLX Hawk thermal imaging camera, in 2012.

In October 2013, the BBC turned to Leonardo to help broadcast its ambitious nature documentary, The Great British Year. Each of the four seasons presents unique situations for Britain's environment and to help capture the cold dark nights of winter. Our SLX SuperHawk and Merlin cameras enabled The Great British Year team, and teams working on AutumnWatch, to capture previously unseen nocturnal animal behaviours around the UK. This included footage of owls hunting, as well as badgers, foxes, hares, rabbits, bats, voles and flying squirrels all going about their lives under the cover of darkness.

In 2016, our thermal imaging cameras went on to deliver even more dramatic scenes, capturing award-winning footage of leopards hunting in Mumbai, as part of Planet Earth 2, presented by Sir David Attenborough.