AeroVironment Begins Full Rate Production and Shipment of Mantis i45 EO/IR Gimbal Sensor Suite for Puma™ AE
UAS
- Available for military applications, Mantis i45 greatly enhances AeroVironment Puma™ AE small
unmanned aircraft systems’ ISR capabilities
- Advanced sensors enable Mantis i45 operators to see better and farther, providing more actionable
intelligence for better decision making
- In military operations, Mantis i45 increases the stand-off distance between the Puma AE and an area
of interest by up to seven times, reducing the likelihood of detection while delivering high resolution images
AUVSI XPONENTIAL – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for both military and
commercial applications, today announced that its Mantis i45 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) gimbal sensor suite designed for the
AeroVironment Puma AE (All Environment) small UAS is now in full production and shipping to customers. Unveiled last May, the i45
Mantis significantly enhances Puma AE’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
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AeroVironment’s Mantis i45 Gimbal Sensor Suite gives Puma AE operators the confidence to see up to seven times
farther at significantly less costs than larger platforms. (Photo: Business Wire)
“With its dramatically improved imaging capabilities, AeroVironment’s Mantis i45 gimbal is a powerful, versatile and high value
tool that gives military users world-class ISR capabilities comparable to 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. “Puma AE, equipped
with the Mantis i45 sensor suite, enables operators to see better and farther than ever before, providing more actionable
intelligence so customers can proceed with certainty.
“In operations, the Mantis i45 reduces the likelihood of detection by increasing the distance between the Puma AE and areas of
interest while still providing the clarity and image quality of a close-range asset,” Flittie added. “The higher resolution imagery
also aids in target analysis, positive identification and better enables operators to identify threats to friendly forces. By
minimizing Puma’s exposure to detection by the enemy, the Mantis i45 greatly improves its ability to complete reconnaissance
missions safely and effectively.”
The AeroVironment Mantis i45 features an advanced suite of ultra-high-resolution EO and long wave IR imagers as well as a new
low-light camera for optimum operations at any time of day in a single payload. Its cutting-edge EO/IR/low-light/illuminator sensor
suite – featuring dual-color, 15 megapixel (MP) cameras (wide and narrow views), improved (640 x 480 MP) infrared imagery, a new
1.5 MP low-light camera, a 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 – delivers superior imagery and data both day and night.
AeroVironment’s Mantis i45 gimbal also provides the same electro-optical image resolution as its predecessor i25 gimbal at up to
seven times the distance. Improvements in sensors, control algorithms and drive mechanics yield an unprecedented level of
mechanical stability in a small, waterproof gimbal system. Augmented with improved on-board digital stabilization, the
AeroVironment Mantis i45 delivers outstanding video stability.
“AeroVironment is committed to continuous innovation that delivers more valuable capabilities to our customers. In addition to
enhancing the software and delivering the real world reliability that customers expect from us, ensuring that the i45’s hardware is
flexible and customizable enough to meet their dynamic needs was a top priority,” Flittie said. “AeroVironment’s Mantis i45 design
specifications exceed those of any previous Puma AE payload.”
Size, weight and power (SWaP) were key design considerations. The all-environment Mantis i45 is rugged and powerful, yet
lightweight and compact. A payload module similar to that of the Mantis i25 Puma AE payload houses the Mantis i45 and installs
quickly and easily in a plug-and-play manner onto the Puma AE platform. Its modular hardware is capable of supporting a wide
variety of imagers, enabling rapid development of new configurations to meet future customer needs.
In addition, the Mantis i45 is backward compatible with deployed Puma AE systems. Its waterproof design protects against sand,
dust, rain, salt fog, snow, mud and 100 percent relative humidity conditions. As with previous Puma AE payloads, the Mantis
i45 retracts into the fuselage for launch and recovery to protect the sensors during takeoff and landing.
No modifications to the Puma are needed to incorporate the Mantis i45. Additionally, on-board power-conscious processors
optimize its power consumption, resulting in minimal performance impact to the Puma aircraft while delivering dramatically improved
capabilities.
About AeroVironment
AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) provides customers with more actionable intelligence so they can proceed with certainty. Based in
California, AeroVironment is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems, tactical missile systems and electric vehicle charging
and test systems, and serves militaries, government agencies, businesses and consumers. For more information visit www.avinc.com.
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AeroVironment, Inc.
Steven Gitlin, +1 626-357-9983
pr@avinc.com
or
For AeroVironment, Inc.
Mark Boyer, +1 310-229-5956
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