MANTIS I45N Micro-Gimbal Compatible with PUMA UAS Family

AeroVironment has launched a new lightweight, compact night-time imaging sensor for its PUMA range of unmanned aircraft. The new member of the company’s MANTIS payload range, the I45N, weighs 0.9kg and has been designed for low-light or night-time ISR missions.

“Today’s battlefield is dynamic and UAS operators increasingly rely on multiple payloads to successfully complete their missions,” said the company’s VP for Global Business Development and Sales of UAS, Charles Dean. “The new MANTIS i45 N … deliver[s] increased situational awareness and advanced threat detection in any environment.”

The new sensor retains the same form factor as the extant I45, meaning the low-light version can be easily swapped in and out of an aircraft. No software updates are required for avionics or ground systems. The sensor features improved long-wave infra-red thermal cameras with a 7.6x electronic zoom, a 5megapixel sensor and a high-powered laser illuminator. The system will enable the collection of high-resolution video at extended range. The company has not disclosed the figures for the operational range of the sensor.