# Raptor Pilot AI

> The mission computer for drones and robots. It sees at 60 FPS and decides on board, so nothing has to leave the aircraft.

- Category: AI mission computer for drones
- Maker: London Defence R&D, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
- Product group: [Flight electronics & platforms](https://londondrd.uk/products/flight-electronics)
- Product page: https://londondrd.uk/products/raptor-pilot-ai
- Enquiries: https://londondrd.uk/contact?product=raptor-pilot-ai

## Overview

Raptor Pilot AI is the mission computer we build for drones and robots. Two digital cameras feed it straight in, so a wide view and a tracking view can run at the same time: one for the whole scene, one locked on the target.

A 4 TOPS AI chip runs detection and tracking next to a quad-core ARM64 processor with 16 GB of memory. There is no downlink, no cloud and no lag between seeing and acting. The aircraft decides for itself, and the video never has to leave it.

It runs Linux and common robotics software, so autonomy code you already have moves across without a rewrite. 100 Mbit/s Ethernet, UART and optional CAN connect it to flight controllers, gimbals and payloads, and it takes power straight from the main battery at up to 60 V. The whole unit is 58 × 43 × 28 mm and weighs 100 g, so it fits a small interceptor as easily as a large aircraft.

## Key characteristics

- Two camera streams at once: a wide view and a tracking view, 60 FPS under load
- Dedicated 4 TOPS (INT8) edge AI accelerator at around 2 W typical, for onboard detection and tracking
- All AI runs on board: no downlink and no cloud, so the video stays on the aircraft
- A good IMU timed with the camera for accurate visual navigation where GNSS is weak
- Runs straight off the main battery at up to 60 V DC, with 100 Mbit/s Ethernet, UART and optional CAN/HDMI
- Runs Linux and common robotics software, so existing autonomy code moves across
- 100 g in a 58 × 43 × 28 mm case: small enough for an interceptor, not just a large aircraft

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Processor | Quad-core Arm Cortex-A76 @ 2.4 GHz, VideoCore VII GPU, hardware H.265 decode |
| Memory | 16 GB LPDDR4X |
| AI accelerator | Dedicated edge AI accelerator, 4 TOPS (INT8), ~2 W typical |
| Camera inputs | 2× MIPI CSI-2, simultaneous wide + tracking streams, 60 FPS sustained under load |
| IMU | High-grade IMU, synchronised with the vision pipeline |
| Interfaces | 100 Mbit/s Ethernet, UART (CAN, HDMI optional) |
| Power input | Max 60 V DC, direct from the main battery |
| Dimensions | 58 × 43 × 28 mm |
| Weight | 100 g |
| Operating system | Linux, runs standard robotics software stacks |

Specifications may change. We confirm the exact figures against the current datasheet when you ask.

## Where it is used

- **Counter-UAS interception**: Guides an interceptor onto a moving drone in the last seconds of the run, when a radio link back to the operator is too slow to help.
- **Flight without satellite navigation**: Holds position and corrects drift by sight when GNSS is jammed or blocked, using the camera and the IMU together.
- **Motion tracking**: Keeps a moving subject in frame on the tracking camera while the wide camera watches the whole scene.
- **Precision landing**: Guides the final approach onto a marked pad or a moving deck at sea, where a few centimetres matter.
- **Perimeter surveillance**: Watches a fixed area and flags movement on board, so no video has to leave the aircraft.
- **Search and rescue**: Spots a person or a vehicle as it flies, so a find does not wait for a downlink or an operator to notice it.
- **Infrastructure inspection**: Follows power lines and pipelines with the wide view for context and the tracking view locked on the fault.
- **Ground robots**: Runs the same vision and autonomy on unmanned ground vehicles, not only on aircraft.
- **Route and convoy overwatch**: Follows a road or a vehicle from the air and reports what has changed since the last pass.

## Common questions

### Does Raptor Pilot AI include a flight controller?

No. It is a mission computer. It connects to a flight controller over Ethernet, UART or CAN, for example our Raptor Pilot Pro FC. We build custom versions to order.

### Does it need a cloud connection?

No. All AI runs on board. There is no downlink and no cloud, so the video stays on the aircraft.

### Where is it made, and where are the parts from?

It is designed and built in the United Kingdom. All main parts are Western-made.

### Is it export controlled?

We class Raptor Pilot AI as a dual-use item outside the UK strategic export control lists. We still check the end user and destination for every order.

## Related products

- [Baby Raptor Interception Drone](https://londondrd.uk/products/baby-raptor-interceptor): A small, fast interceptor drone. It finds, chases and stops hostile drones with very little operator input.
- [Raptor Power 12S 4in1 ESC](https://londondrd.uk/products/raptor-power-esc): A 6S–12S four-in-one ESC for drones. Each motor has its own processor and gate driver, with current, voltage and temperature telemetry.
- [Raptor Power 900 KV Motor](https://londondrd.uk/products/raptor-power-motor): A top-grade 900 KV brushless motor for interceptor drones and fast FPV platforms. It gives up to 4.15 kg of thrust across a wide 4S–12S range.

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London Defence R&D · https://londondrd.uk/products/raptor-pilot-ai · Content updated 2026-11-04