AeroVironment unveils gimbal for Puma drone

AeroVironment has unveiled its Mantis i45 electro-optical/infrared gimbal for the company's Puma AE small UAV.

The Mantis i45 features ultrahigh-resolution electro-optical and infrared imagers, dual-color cameras with wide and narrow views, a high-powered illuminator, a dedicated onboard image processor, and optional onboard storage of high-definition video, according to an AeroVironment news release.

"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," the company said. "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."

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