Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “AeroVironment (AV) has successfully demonstrated its JUMP® 20 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) with a heavy fuel engine. The higher horsepower and lower fuel burn rate provided by the heavy fuel engine expands the capabilities of AV’s proven JUMP 20 platform.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Techology)
Tag: Aerovironment
US Military Sends 700 Switchblade UAVs to Ukraine
CNET News reported that the United States “has sent 600 more AeroVironment Switchblade drones to help the Ukrainian military counter Russia’s invasion, the US Defense Department revealed Thursday.” The UAVs are “included in the Pentagon’s new $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, a package that brings the country’s total contributions to $2.6 billion in security assistance. The US also has sent an undisclosed number of AeroVironment Puma drones, which can circle for hours above a battlefield and help soldiers direct Switchblades toward their targets.”
Full Story (CNET News)
GA-ASI and Aerovironment Validate Large UAS as Motherships with Switchblade 600 Test
Unmanned Systems Technology reports GA-ASI and AeroVironment completed a milestone test by launching a Switchblade 600 from an MQ-9A, demonstrating “large UAS capability as motherships.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
Italy Places $47-Million Order for AeroVironment Jump Drones
The Defense Post reports, “Italy has signed a $46.6-million deal with AeroVironment for the delivery of Jump 20 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), set to replace its aging fleet of AAI RQ-7 Shadow drones. The five-year contract includes engineering, technical support, and maintenance services from AeroVironment to ensure the UAVs are fully operational from day one.”
Full Story (The Defense Post)
‘Skyfall’ Mars Mission Proposes to Drop 6 Scout Helicopters onto Mars
SPACE reports, “AeroVironment of Arlington, Virginia and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory today debuted ‘Skyfall,’ a concept for deploying next-generation Mars helicopters that could help pave the way for human landing on Mars through autonomous aerial exploration.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Video
Skyfall – Future Mission Concept for Next-gen Mars Helicopters and Exploration
(Aerovironment; YouTube)
AeroVironment to Install Counter-Drone Tech at Grand Forks Air Force Base
Defense News reports, “AeroVironment announced Tuesday it will deploy a counter-drone capability at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, as part of its effort to lay the groundwork for Golden Dome. The firm, a defense technology company that makes loitering munitions, drones and counter-drone technology, will collaborate with commercial unmanned aerial system, or UAS, business and aviation park Grand Sky on the project.”
Full Story (Defense News)
U.S. Army Selects AeroVironment’s Freedom Eagle-1 as New Counter-Drone Interceptor
The War Zone reports, “The U.S. Army has picked AeroVironment to supply a new anti-air interceptor, primarily to provide an additional layer of defense against longer-range one-way attack drones and other similarly-sized uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). Designed to be relatively low-cost and easy to produce, the Freedom Eagle-1(FE-1) missile could also be employed against other aerial threats, including subsonic cruise missiles, in certain circumstances.”
Full Story (The War Zone)
Video
Freedom Eagle (FE-1).
BlueHalo; YouTube