TrackingPoint

TrackingPoint

Type	Private
Industry	Applied technology
Founded	2011 (2011)
Founder	John McHale
Headquarters	Austin, Texas , United States
Website	tracking-point.com

TrackingPoint is an applied technology company based in Austin, Texas. In 2011, it created a long-range rifle system that was the first precision guided firearm.^[1][2]

Formed by John McHale in February 2011, the company created its first PGF prototype in March 2011. The company offered its first product in January 2013^[3] and a second, the AR Series semi-automatic smart rifle, in January 2014.^[4]

Variants of the company's bolt-action rifles use .338 Lapua Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum ammunition. Semi-automatic variants are available in 7.62 NATO, 5.56 NATO and .300 BLK.

In September 2016, the company began selling the M1400, a squad-level .338 Lapua bolt-action rifle that can hit targets out to 1,400 yards (1,280 m). It can also acquire and hit targets traveling at 20 mph (32 km/h) within 2.5 seconds. The rifle is 45 in (110 cm) long with a 22 in (560 mm) barrel weighing 15.4 lb (7.0 kg). It can be used with the company's ShotGlass wearable glasses that transmits what the scope is seeing to the shooter's eye.^[5][6]

In January 2014, the U.S. Army purchased six TrackingPoint fire control systems to begin exploring purported key target acquisition and aiming technologies.^[7] The Army has integrated the system onto the XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle for military testing.^[8]

In 2018 TrackingPoint introduced the ShadowTrak 6 bolt-action rifle with 6.5mm Creedmoor cartridge that can hit targets out to 1,000 yards (914 m), and can hit targets traveling at 20 mph (32 km/h) in 1 second. Weighing 14.6 lb (6.6 kg), it can fire Hornady ammunition; the 147gr ELD-M (a match type bullet) or the 143gr ELD-X (designed for hunting).^{[citation needed]}

In November 2018, Talon Precision Optics, of Jacksonville, Florida bought TrackingPoint.^[9]

Technology[]

The TrackingPoint XS1, a precision guided firearm

Screenshot from the heads up display of a TrackingPoint precision guided firearm

TrackingPoint's precision guided firearms system uses several component technologies:

• Networked Tracking Scope: The core engine that tracks the target, calculates range and the ballistic solution, and works in concert with the shooter and guided trigger to release the shot.^[10][11]
• Barrel Reference System: A fixed reference point that enables the networked tracking scope to make adjustments and retain zero over time. The barrel reference system is factory calibrated to a laser reference.^[12]
• Guided Trigger: The rifle's trigger is hard-wired to the networked tracking scope. The networked tracking scope controls the trigger weight to eliminate trigger squeeze and shot timing errors.^[13]
• Field Software Upgradeable: Software can be uploaded to the scope to add capability.^[14]
• Heads Up Display (HUD): The HUD indicates range, wind, reticle, video storage gauge, zoom, and battery life, plus LRF icon, Wi-Fi on/off icon, compass icon, cant wheel, inclination wheels and off-screen indicators.^[10][15]
• Recording: An integrated camera captures video and still images from the networked tracking scope and heads up display. Recorded images can be downloaded to a smartphone or tablet from the scope and transmitted via email or social media.^[16]

In 2017 computer security experts Runa Sandvik and demonstrated that naive software design left the rifle's aiming computer wide open to remote hacking, when its WiFi capability was turned on.^[17] Malicious third parties could disrupt the rifle's accuracy by altering parameters like bullet weight. They showed they could change the bullet weight from 0.4 ounces (11 g) to 72 pounds (33 kg), which would be counted on to make the rifle inaccurate. A skilled hacker would be able to acquire root access, after which they could totally brick the computer, in various ways, like erasing all the computer's software.

References[]

External links[]

• TrackingPoint website.
• "Military Science Inspires Better Rifle Control". February 9, 2014.
• Raymond Von Wahlde; Dennis Metz (August 1999). "Sniper Weapon Fire Control Error Budget Analysis" (PDF). United States Army Research Laboratory (published September 9, 1999). Cite journal requires |journal= (help)