Both companies see need in UAS industry for flexible, customizable products

FlightWave Aerospace Systems and MAPIR have announced their first partnership as part of FlightWaves Payload Partner Program (PPP). The program is designed to quickly bring new payload options to market by sharing CAD files and engineering schematics with anyone who wants to integrate their sensors on FlightWaves Edge™ UAS.

The new partnership — to be announced Wednesday, October 4 at Drone World Expo in Tech Talk DEMO Theater from 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. — offers the UAS industry a game-changing combination: easily configurable multispectral and high-resolution camera arrays on a versatile airframe.
FlightWaves Edge™ was designed to be payload agnostic, providing a high-performance vehicle that would be adaptable to a wide range of use cases for customers who need a sustained aerial presence in high-wind, maritime, or terrestrial missions. Its compact, vertical take-off (VTOL) design allows a pilot to take off anywhere like a multi-rotor and fly for hours like a fixed wing. Designed and manufactured in the USA, Edge™ takes advantage of the most reliable and flight-tested components currently available in the UAS industry.
"We picked MAPIR as our very first partner because their company shares our approach to serving the UAS marketplace," explained FlightWave CMO Edmund Cronin. "We both see that customers need flexible, modular products that can be combined in innovative ways to help better achieve their missions."
Both companies share the same modular design vision: FlightWaves long-range Edge™ UAS allows entire payloads to be quickly swapped, while MAPIR offers arrays of fully customizable Kernel® cameras giving the pilot the ability to configure a single payload specifically for each project's requirements.
At launch, MAPIRs Kernel® cameras will be offered in either a 14.4MP RGB color or 3.2MP monochrome sensor option with matching lens field of view for easy survey planning. Each camera includes its own internal memory storage and connects to one another using the signal-distributing array link boards. Professional level shutter triggering and exposure feedback, along with precise onboard geotagging, allows for the highest accuracy using the newest GNSS solutions available.
"Were excited to leverage the easily swappable payload capability of the FlightWave Edge™ UAS for our cameras — and FlightWaves Payload Partner Program was amazingly easy for us to integrate with," said MAPIR CEO Nolan Ramseyer. "Our Kernel® array cameras are used primarily in aerial surveying for industries like oil and gas, telecommunications and agriculture, so our customers need a reliable aircraft with the flight duration and portability that FlightWave offers."
Thanks to the Flightwave partnership with MAPIR, customers can save money by building an incremental, upgradeable system rather than having to buy a whole new platform as their needs change. The Edge™ airframe is being sold as a ready-to-fly package — with a special discounted price of $7,500USD for pre-orders (without a sensor payload). MAPIRs Kernel® arrays will offer specific array payloads ranging from $2,049-$10,244USD, depending on the array configuration.
About FlightWave
Visit FlightWave Aerospace Systems, Inc. in MAPIRs booth #113 at Drone World Expo. FlightWave Aerospace Systems Inc. is a California-based aerospace company that designs and manufactures unmanned aerial systems. Our groundbreaking technology enables aerial operations anywhere on the planet, empowering government agencies, private companies, and nonprofits to get more mission for their money. Whether your goal is protecting assets, mapping the environment, or monitoring wildlife, FlightWave has one mission in mind: yours. Learn more about FlightWave at http://flightwave.aero.
About MAPIR
Visit MAPIR in booth #113 at Drone World Expo. MAPIR is a brand and dba for Peau Productions, Inc., which has been in business since 2009. MAPIR launched in 2015 to address the growing demand for compact, affordable aerial sensors. We leverage years of experience with supplying cameras for aerial platforms and research into the remote sensing industry. Learn more about MAPIR at http://mapir.camera.