Marotta Controls, the longtime New Jersey aerospace and defense manufacturer, has been awarded a new U.S. patent for a compact mechanism that streamlines how fins are deployed and controlled on high-performance munitions and vehicles.
The technology reduces space, boosts reliability, and was designed entirely by Marotta’s New Jersey engineering team. This marks Marotta’s second U.S. patent in 2025.
Deployment and actuation have traditionally required separate mechanisms, each occupying valuable system space and increasing potential points of failure. Marotta’s patented solution uses a single drive train to release and control the fins, eliminating the need for additional motors or release devices. This streamlined approach is particularly beneficial in space-constrained applications, such as gun-launched munitions, where every cubic inch counts.
The technology was developed by Marotta engineers: Vito Guardi, Travis Spaulding, John Albright, and Brett Seidman.
“This invention was born from a customer challenge where the available space simply couldn’t accommodate multiple mechanisms,” said Guardi, Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering at Marotta Controls. “By rethinking how we deploy and drive fins, we developed a solution that not only fits the tight envelope but also enhances reliability and testability for high-performance systems.”
The mechanism also uniquely offers a resettable design, allowing full functional testing at the customer’s facility without sacrificing the hardware. Unlike one-time-use devices, which must be replaced after testing, Marotta’s system can be reloaded and retested, providing customers with confidence in its performance before deployment in the field.
While the patent was developed for a gun-launched guided round, its benefits extend to a wide range of platforms, including torpedoes, UAVs, and other systems where stowed control surfaces are advantageous for storage, transport, or aerodynamic performance.
“This patent reinforces Marotta’s reputation for solving the kinds of engineering challenges others shy away from,” Guardi said. “It also demonstrates our ability to innovate within severe constraints of space and performance, delivering solutions that keep our customers competitive in the most demanding environments.”
The technology is the second of two U.S. patents awarded to Marotta in 2025; the other is for a new synchronous rectification technique used in high-current power conversion.
