AeroVironment unveils its new Mantis i45 EO/IR Gimbal Payload for its Puma unmanned aircraft 30305161.

“The Mantis i45 represents a dramatic leap in small UAS image resolution and approaches capabilities inherent in platforms many times the size and cost of Puma AE,” said Kirk Flittie, vice president and general manager of AeroVironment’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems business segment. “This enhanced capability enables commercial and military users to see more and farther, with greater detail, than ever before, make better decisions and perform their missions with greater certainty. The AeroVironment Mantis i45 represents a significant increase in performance for Puma AE intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.”

In combat, the Mantis i45 empowers operators to identify targets more accurately and with greater detail while operating even farther away from the target. The higher resolution imagery also aids in target analysis, positive identification and better enables operators to identify threats to friendly forces.

With an advanced suite of sensors, including ultra-high-resolution EO and IR imagers, key features of the Mantis i45 include: dual-color cameras (wide and narrow views); improved IR imagery; new low-light camera; high-power illuminator; 50-times zoom in EO; optional on-board storage of high definition video and high-resolution stills; and a dedicated on-board image processor. The AeroVironment Mantis i45 also lends itself to a level of customization never before seen in a gimbal this size while still being compatible with portable Puma AE systems.

Among its many enhancements, the Mantis i45 offers a wide range of night-time solutions, from low-light near-infrared (NIR) to long wave infrared (LWIR) imagers. In addition, it is a backward-compatible, fully waterproof payload capable of operating under the same harsh environmental conditions as the AeroVironment Puma AE system – which is designed for both land-based and maritime operations.