Macnica CV75

Optimizing Autonomous Flight with Intelligent Edge Perception

Extend UAV Flight Times, Enhance Intelligence

Drone platforms increasingly depend on onboard vision to enable navigation, inspection, tracking, and autonomous decision-making. These functions must operate under strict power, thermal, and latency constraints while remaining reliable in production environments.

The Macnica CV75 platform, created in collaboration with iENSO, is designed to support these requirements through a consolidated embedded vision architecture built specifically for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems.

Common Challenges in UAV Vision Development

UAV manufacturers often face a difficult trade-off between advanced computer vision capabilities and the rigid constraints of flight hardware. Integrating advanced artificial intelligence typically requires bulky accelerators that increase payload weight, consume excessive battery power, and generate significant heat. These limitations frequently force developers to rely on cloud-based processing, which introduces unacceptable latency and compromises mission-critical privacy.

Macnica CV75 System-on-Module (SoM): A Unified Architecture for UAV Vision

The CV75 SoM addresses the integration and performance challenges common in UAV vision systems. Powered by the Ambarella CV75 System on Chip (SoC), the module consolidates image signal processing, 4K video encoding, and dedicated AI acceleration into a single 5nm architecture optimized for embedded vision workloads.

This unified design provides the performance required for aerial object tracking, navigation, and situational awareness while maintaining power and thermal efficiency suitable for extended flight operation.

Maximize Flight Efficiency: Built on Ambarella’s 5nm CMOS process, the CV75 offers industry-leading performance per watt, minimizing battery drain during flight operations.

Real-Time Decision Making: Process complex AI models directly on the drone for obstacle avoidance and navigation, eliminating the latency of cloud connectivity

Compact Integration: A complete embedded vision system including ISP, encoder, and AI acceleration in a small form factor (77mm x 77mm or 85mm x 85mm)

NDAA-Compliant for Regulated UAV Programs

The CV75 platform is designed to support NDAA-compliant UAV systems through careful component selection and controlled manufacturing processes. By using an embedded vision architecture based on the Ambarella CV75 SoC and approved imaging components, the platform enables UAV manufacturers to design systems that align with NDAA procurement requirements without requiring re-architecture of the vision stack later in the program. This reduces regulatory risk and simplifies qualification for government, public safety, and infrastructure-related deployments.

Why UAV Manufacturers Select the CV75 SoM

The CV75 platform is selected when program priorities include:

Reducing architectural complexity instead of adding discrete accelerators
Maintaining predictable power and thermal behavior under flight conditions
Shortening time between evaluation and production readiness
Deploying an embedded platform optimized for vision workloads

From Prototype to Production

The CV75 platform is designed to support a structured and repeatable development path for UAV vision systems, reducing integration risk and maintaining continuity from evaluation through deployment.

The platform enables this through:

Evaluation kits for early validation of image quality, AI performance, and end-to-end latency

A consistent SoM architecture used across engineering validation test (EVT), design validation test (DVT), and production phases

Customization options for image sensors, optics, firmware, and mechanical integration

A stable operating environment optimized for the Ambarella CV75 SoC

SDKs and tools for application development, AI model deployment, and software updates

A clear path from evaluation hardware to production systems supported by the Embedded Vision Platform as a Service (EVPaaS) framework

UAV Types Supported by the CV75 SoM Platform

The CV75 platform is designed for commercial and industrial UAV systems that require onboard vision and edge AI prior to data transmission. Typical applications include inspection drones, mapping and survey platforms, autonomous navigation systems, and payload-based intelligence such as tracking or situational awareness. The architecture is suitable for both single-camera and multi-sensor configurations.

Customization Services

iENSO and Macnica provide customization services to adapt the CV75 platform to specific application and system requirements. These services support programs that require more than a reference design while maintaining a clear path to production.

Customization options include:

Image sensor and optics selection based on performance and environmental requirements
Firmware and software feature customization, including AI model integration
Mechanical and form factor adaptation for payload or enclosure constraints
System-level optimization for power, thermal, and interface requirements

These services enable customers to deploy application-specific vision systems without rebuilding core platform infrastructure, reducing development risk and supporting scalable production.

Next Steps

Evaluation kits are available to assess image quality, video performance, and edge AI behavior under UAV operating conditions. Technical discussions can be scheduled to review system requirements and platform suitability.

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Technical Specifications
FAQ

Specification	CV75S55m SoM	CV75S88 SoM
Ambarella SoC	CV75S55m	CV75S88
CPU Architecture	Dual Arm Cortex-A76 + Arm Cortex-M3	Dual Arm Cortex-A76 + Arm Cortex-M3
AI Compute Performance	~4 eTOPS	~6 eTOPS
Vision Processor	CVflow AI Engine
Supported AI Models	CNNs and transformer-based models
Video Encoding	4Kp30+ H.264 / H.265
Physical Image Sensor Inputs*	1	2
EVK Image Sensor	Sony IMX664, 4 MP, 1/1.8”	Sony IMX678, 8 MP, 1/1.8”
DRAM	16 Gb LPDDR4x, 16-bit	32 Gb LPDDR5, 32-bit
eMMC Support	No	Yes
Power Consumption (SoC only)	< 1.5 W	< 2.5 W
Wi-Fi/BLE Module	Azurewave AW-AM617 based on Infineon CYW43022
Main Board Size	77 × 77 mm	85 × 85 mm
Target Applications	Lightweight payloads, navigation, obstacle avoidance	Advanced perception, tracking, multi-sensor payloads

*Both SoM variants can support additional sensor configurations depending on system design.

Which UAV programs typically require NDAA compliance?

NDAA compliance is commonly required for UAV systems used by federal agencies, defense contractors, public safety organizations, critical infrastructure operators, and government-funded programs. Many commercial customers also require compliance to preserve future market access.

Why use an integrated vision SoC instead of an AI accelerator plus host processor?

An integrated vision SoC reduces system complexity by combining image signal processing, video encoding, CPU processing, and AI acceleration in a single device. This approach lowers power consumption, simplifies board design, and reduces integration effort compared to architectures that rely on separate accelerators and host processors.

For UAV platforms, this typically results in more-predictable latency, lower thermal load, and improved reliability in flight conditions.

How does this platform compare to GPU-based solutions?

Compared to GPU-based platforms, CV75 typically offers lower power consumption, smaller form factor, and a vision-optimized architecture that integrates ISP and video encoding directly on the chip. This makes it more suitable for UAV systems where power, size, and thermal constraints are critical.

Does the platform support onboard AI without cloud connectivity?

Yes. The CV75 platform supports on-device execution of CNN and transformer-based models. Detection, classification, and scene understanding can be performed locally on the drone without reliance on cloud-based inference. This reduces latency and bandwidth requirements and supports operation in disconnected or limited-connectivity environments.

What video capabilities are available?

The integrated video pipeline supports 4K processing, multi-stream encoding, HDR, electronic image stabilization, and de-warping. These features are handled within the SoC and do not require external video processing hardware. This is particularly relevant for gimbal-based payloads and stabilized aerial imaging.

What is the EVPaaS framework?

EVPaaS is a unified development and deployment framework that integrates hardware, system software, AI tools, and lifecycle management into a production-oriented platform. It enables embedded vision systems built on CV75 to move from evaluation to production without re-architecting the system at each stage.