Raytron Claims Global Lead as Five Thermal Camera Makers Reach 90% Share
Raytron held a 30% share of global thermal imaging camera shipments in 2025, according to the Yole Group report cited by the company. The five leading manufacturers together accounted for about 90% of worldwide shipments, as thermal imaging expands into automotive, consumer outdoor products and smart devices.
- Raytron reported a 30% global share of thermal imaging camera shipments in 2025.
- The top five manufacturers accounted for about 90% of worldwide shipments.
- Raytron began serial production of its 8 µm detector in 2025.
- BCoS reduces detector thickness by about 21% and footprint by almost 40%, according to Raytron.
- Raytron's infrared image-language model was trained on more than 5 million data examples.
Raytron reports second consecutive global lead
Raytron said the findings come from Thermal Imaging and Sensing 2026, a report by market research and strategy consulting firm Yole Group. The company ranked first among the leading infrared thermal imaging camera manufacturers, with a 30% market share, and said it retained its global leadership for the second consecutive year.
The market is developing beyond traditional uses such as security and industrial inspection. According to the company, uncooled thermal imaging is increasingly being applied in automotive systems, consumer outdoor products and smart devices.
Raytron attributed its position to continued investment across the thermal imaging technology stack. This includes infrared detector development, advanced packaging and interconnection technologies, and artificial intelligence algorithms.
Smaller pixels target compact, higher-resolution detectors
Raytron said it has reduced infrared detector pixel pitch from 35 µm to 17 µm, 12 µm and then 8 µm. The company developed its 8 µm pixel-pitch infrared detector in 2021 and began serial production in 2025.
A smaller pixel pitch allows more pixels to fit on the same detector area, improving spatial resolution. At the same resolution, smaller pixels can also enable smaller detectors and lower system costs, which Raytron said could support wider adoption of thermal imaging technology.
Packaging and AI are central to Raytron's roadmap
Building on wafer-level packaging, Raytron introduced Super Wafer Level Packaging, or SWLP. The company describes the technology as using an innovative double-layer structure intended to improve detector protection and reduce dependence on special cleanroom environments during downstream integration.
At CIOE 2026, Raytron also presented Bump Chip on Substrate, or BCoS, for packaging and interconnection. Compared with conventional wafer-level packaging solutions, BCoS removes wire bonding and simplifies component assembly. For products with comparable specifications, Raytron said it reduces detector thickness by about 21% and footprint by almost 40%.
Raytron also presented an infrared image-language model at CIOE 2026. The model was trained on the company's proprietary multimodal infrared dataset, which contains more than 5 million data examples. It can run directly on devices and is already being used for intelligent analysis in industrial temperature measurement, gas detection and security monitoring with night vision.
What the figures mean for thermal imaging users
The company’s reported market position points to a sector where a small group of manufacturers supplies most thermal imaging cameras, while advances in detector size, packaging and on-device AI are aimed at broadening use across industries. Smaller components may support more compact products, and embedded analysis can help applications interpret infrared images directly on devices.
Raytron said its mission is to “Create Incremental Value for Customers Through Technological Advancement.” Its stated focus is to improve imaging performance and expand thermal imaging applications, with the aim of delivering greater customer value and encouraging wider use across different industries.