Raptor stabilized camera or payload mount

The Nextvision Raptor is a gimbal: a micro dual electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) stabilized camera payload from Nextvision Stabilized Systems, built for uncrewed aircraft that need long-range day and night observation from a low-mass sensor package. It combines a visible-light camera and a thermal camera on one stabilized mount, which keeps the line of sight steady while the airframe moves, and it is offered in several configurations as the Raptor family.

The visible channel provides a continuous total zoom of x80, made up of x40 optical zoom and x2 digital zoom. The thermal channel uses a 1280 x 720 sensor and adds a continuous digital zoom of x8. For integrators, the optical share of the visible zoom is the figure that determines how much real detail is retained at stand-off distance, while the high-resolution thermal image supports detection and tracking of heat signatures in darkness, haze, smoke and poor weather.

The Raptor weighs 640 g, which suits small and medium uncrewed aircraft where payload mass directly trades against endurance. The maker's page gives the outer dimensions as 90 x 120 x 196 mm, and a second figure of 85 x 85 x 129 mm (length, width, height) is listed for the same product, so the mechanical drawing should be checked against the configuration being ordered before an airframe interface is designed.

The family has three configurations. The base Raptor is the standard unit. The Raptor-360 adds continuous 360 degree rotation in yaw, so the camera can turn in any direction without end stops and operators can follow a moving target through a full circle without losing lock. The Raptor-360-Sealed uses a sealed housing that complies with the IP54 rating, providing protection against dust and splashing water for operation in rain and dusty environments, with the same performance as the Raptor-360.

An optional continuous illuminator can be fitted for object marking and point indication. Two versions exist: a low-output version with a spot diameter of about 0.4 m at a range of 1 km, and a high-output version with a spot diameter of about 1 m at the same range. The illuminator is a Class 3B laser product that is not eye-safe, so standard laser safety measures and device labeling apply to any installation.

The maker lists surveillance, reconnaissance, target detection and high-precision missions across a wide range of platforms. Typical uses by system integrators and operators include border and coastal monitoring, security patrol, search and rescue, and inspection of infrastructure from fixed-wing and rotary-wing uncrewed aircraft. Nextvision also publishes mounting accessories such as quick-release, retracting, V and H mounts and a third-axis unit for its camera line, which are relevant when integrating the Raptor into a specific airframe.