The U.S. Navy has selected an AeroVironment-built unmanned aircraft system for deployment from submarines to operate in anti-access and aerial denial environments. AeroVironment built Blackwing for a joint capability technology demonstration sponsored by the Navy and U.S. Special Operations Command known as Advanced Weapons Enhanced by Submarine UAS against Mobile targets, AeroVironment said Monday. Kirk Flittie, vice president and general manager for AeroVironment’s […] More

AeroVironment, SmartC2 and NASA have forged a partnership to perform a second phase of field tests on the space agency’s unmanned traffic management technology in October. AeroVironment said Thursday researchers will assess the Puma AE’s onboard autopilot three-dimensional geo-fencing functions, backup data link command-and-control and ADS-B integration into NASA’s UTM research platform. SmartC2 will deploy its VirtualAirBoss aviation business […] More

AeroVironment will display its new electro-optical/infrared gimbal payload for small unmanned aircraft systems at the annual Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International XPONENTIAL conference Monday through Thursday in New Orleans. Mantis i45 is used on the Puma all-environment unmanned aerial vehicle for commercial and military applications and features a suite of sensors such as EO and IR imagers, dual-color cameras, an illuminator and an […] More

AeroVironment has integrated an encrypted communication link to into the company’s fielded Switchblade tactical missile systems through an upgrade named Block 10C. The company said Thursday the Digital Data Link will work to help the system use frequency bands and minimize signal interception to support secure communications for warfighters. Block 10C is also designed to extend operational ranges through other DDL arbiters including AeroVironment’s […] More

AeroVironment has received a contract from ADS to deploy its unmanned aircraft system to Antarctica in support of the U.S. Coast Guard‘s resupply mission for the National Science Foundation‘s McMurdo Station. The company worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to launch the RQ-20A Puma AE drone from Australia on Dec. 30, 2015, under […] More

AeroVironment has received a $44.6 million contract modification from the U.S. Army to provide hardware and parts for Block 10C Switchblade miniature aerial missile systems. The company will supply equipment for inert training vehicles and all up rounds, multi pack launchers and modular battery payloads, the Defense Department said Friday. DoD noted the service branch will use fiscal 2017 missile procurement appropriations […] More