VideoRay Mission Specialist Pro 5 vs VideoRay Mission Specialist Ally: payload, weight and thrusters?

Question

Rapidflare · Accepted Answer

Here's the head-to-head on payload, weight, and thrusters for the two Mission Specialist vehicles.

## VideoRay Pro 5 vs. Ally — Payload, Weight & Thrusters

**VideoRay comparison (Pro 5 vs. Ally)**

| Spec | Mission Specialist Pro 5 | Mission Specialist Ally |
|---|---|---|
| **Payload / lifting capacity** | 1.4 kg | 10.0 kg (Premium package: 11.3 kg / 25 lbs) |
| **Weight in air (dry)** | 11.8 kg (26 lbs) | 13.6 kg (30 lbs) base; 15.8 kg (34.8 lbs) with sonar, DVL, and manipulator |
| **Thrusters** | 3 total: 2 vectored horizontal, 1 vertical | 4 total: 2 horizontal, 2 vertical |
| **Forward thrust** | 20.3 kg (reverse: 13.0 kg) | 16.8 kg / 37 lbs (reverse: 15.0 kg) |
| **Vertical thrust** | 0.8 m/s vertical velocity | 9.5 kg / 21 lbs, 0.8 m/s |
| **Lateral thrust** | — | 6.1 kg / 13.5 lbs, ~1 knot |
| **Forward speed** | 4.4 knots | 4.0 knots |

## What I found from Web Search:

**Payload / lifting**
- The Pro 5's lifting capacity is **1.4 kg**.
- The Ally's lifting capacity is **10.0 kg**, and the Premium Package configuration lists **11.3 kg (25 lbs)** lifting capacity, aided by its 90-degree vertical-swing manipulator.
- The Ally carries a spring-loaded manipulator (90–180° vertical) and supports a Reach Alpha manipulator for object retrieval; the Pro 5 payload figures are stated without payloads mounted.

**Weight**
- Pro 5: **11.8 kg (26 lb)** dry weight, without ballast or payloads.
- Ally: **13.6 kg (30 lb)** base; **15.8 kg (34.8 lb)** with Oculus 750 sonar, A50 DVL, and Reach Alpha manipulator (Premium).

**Thrusters**
- Pro 5: **3 thrusters** — 2 vectored horizontal + 1 vertical; oil-filled brushless with quick-change propeller; forward thrust 20.3 kg, reverse 13.0 kg; forward speed 4.4 knots, vertical 0.8 m/s.
- Ally: **4 thrusters** — 2 horizontal + 2 vertical; forward thrust 16.8 kg (4 knots), vertical 9.5 kg (1.5 knots / 0.8 m/s), plus lateral thrust of 6.1 kg (~1 knot) for sway movement the Pro 5's 3-thruster layout doesn't offer.

**Bottom line:** the Pro 5 is the lighter, faster-forward vehicle (3 thrusters, 4.4 kts) optimized for speed and efficiency where payloads are small, while the Ally is the heavier, more capable platform — 4 thrusters with full lateral (sway) movement, roughly 7× the lifting capacity, and a spring-loaded manipulator — and it's designed as an upgrade path toward the Mission Specialist Defender when more payload capability is needed.

Both vehicles are built around the same Mission Specialist architecture — modular components on a single intelligent network, both running the NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX processor in their Ultra 4K Smart Camera — so many modules and accessories are interchangeable between them.

VideoRay Mission Specialist Pro 5 vs Ally: payload, weight and thrusters

VideoRay Pro 5 vs. Ally — Payload, Weight & Thrusters

What I found from Web Search:

Sources

Spec	Mission Specialist Pro 5	Mission Specialist Ally
Payload / lifting capacity	1.4 kg	10.0 kg (Premium package: 11.3 kg / 25 lbs)
Weight in air (dry)	11.8 kg (26 lbs)	13.6 kg (30 lbs) base; 15.8 kg (34.8 lbs) with sonar, DVL, and manipulator
Thrusters	3 total: 2 vectored horizontal, 1 vertical	4 total: 2 horizontal, 2 vertical
Forward thrust	20.3 kg (reverse: 13.0 kg)	16.8 kg / 37 lbs (reverse: 15.0 kg)
Vertical thrust	0.8 m/s vertical velocity	9.5 kg / 21 lbs, 0.8 m/s
Lateral thrust	—	6.1 kg / 13.5 lbs, ~1 knot
Forward speed	4.4 knots	4.0 knots