News & Articles

U.S. Army Selects AeroVironment JUMP 20 Medium Unmanned Aircraft System to Enter Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) Program Increment 2
March 01, 2023 (Press Releases)
- AeroVironment is the only company to secure an award for all FTUAS program increments, including FTUAS Increments 0,1 and now 2
- Increment 2 is the final phase of the U.S. Army’s FTUAS program competition to select a replacement for the RQ-7B Shadow UAS
ARLINGTON, Va., March 1, 2023 – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems, today announced it was selected by the United States Army on Feb. 28, 2023, to move forward in the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) program.
AeroVironment’s JUMP® 20 will compete with several other vendors in the FTUAS Increment 2 multi-phased effort which will allow the Army to select the best system for its needs. Ultimately, FTUAS Increment 2 aircraft will be fielded to Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) throughout the Army, replacing the long-serving RQ-7B Shadow UAS.
View More
Forbes: Ukraine’s Next-Generation Drone Fleet Is Packed With Upgrades
March 01, 2023 (AV in the News)
The latest U.S. security assistance package to Ukraine shows a commitment to enhanced drones, with four new types specifically mentioned:
— The Jump 20 UAS is an unusual vertical take-off tactical reconnaissance machine from AeroVironment, Inc. With an endurance of 14 hours and a range of over a hundred miles , the Jump-20 is perhaps nearest to Russia’s Orlan-10, a machine which is much derided for its crude construction but gives Russia an envied long-endurance observation platform. The more sophisticated Jump-20 will provide intelligence for HIMARS and the new Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb and other long-range weapons as Ukraine hits targets further behind the front line.
View More
USA Today: It's hard, but they're holding on': On the ground in Ukraine, the war depends on U.S. weapons
February 22, 2023 (AV in the News)
One evening northwest of Fury’s position, in an industrial plant that Ukraine’s military is using as a base for elite units to sleep in, Biker explained how the Switchblade 300, which can be carried in a backpack, works.
It launches from a tube. Its small wings and an electric propeller then unfold. It flies to a target monitored via a tablet and special software. Then it dive-bombs kamikaze-like to its prey and detonates an explosive warhead.
View More
Breaking Defense – A Solution Rises for Middle East Nations that Demand Persistent ISR for Border and Maritime Security
February 21, 2023 (AV in the News)
In this Q&A with Philip Mahill, senior director, Medium UAS Business Development for AeroVironment, he discusses: the regional threat scenario, the latest news on the Army’s Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) program, and the reasons why the company’s JUMP 20 VTOL unmanned system is suited to US needs in the FTUAS program and also UAE/Middle East needs to meet their specific threat scenarios.
View More
Aerospace America: Martian Aviator
January 27, 2023 (AV in the News)
Even before the now-famous Ingenuity helicopter made its first flight on Mars in 2021, Ben Pipenberg and his colleagues at drone maker AeroVironment began thinking about the next iteration of the aircraft whose airframe and rotor system they built. Knowing about the plan to bring samples of Mars back to Earth, they conceptualized and prototyped a helo with a gripper capable of grasping sample tubes and wheels to carefully roll up to an ascent vehicle.
View More
CNBC: CEO Wahid Nawabi Featured on Mad Money
January 06, 2023 (AV in the News)
CEO Wahid Nawabi visits Mad Money and discuss the benefits of Switchblade loitering missile systems and how they can help with the war in Ukraine.
View More
Breaking Defense – Against Near Peers, Unmanned Systems Must Maintain Autonomy Even When Contested
December 21, 2022 (AV in the News)
Continued operation in RF environments — whether that’s GPS denial or communications disruption — is arguably the number-one requirement for overmatch against near peers.
Though the Indo-Pacific region and Europe present widely divergent areas of operation, one of the characteristics they assuredly have in common is that both kinetic and non-kinetic operations against adversaries in those regions will take place in contested environments.
View More
KCLU: A Ventura County company is manufacturing a high-tech drone which is being used in Ukraine
October 25, 2022 (AV in the News)
The small and precise weapons are part of a US military aid package delivered to help Ukraine fight back amid Russia’s invasion.
A so-called kamikaze drone, that dive-bombs its target, is being built at a secret facility in Ventura County. The small and precise weapons are part of a US military aid package delivered to help Ukraine fight back amid Russia’s invasion, which started 8 months ago.
View MoreDefenseWebTV: AUSA 2022 Day 2 Defense Exhibition– AM General Saber & Switchblade 300 and 600 Loitering Munitions
October 14, 2022 (UAS)
Day 2 at AUSA 2022. In this video, exclusive interviews with AMG General and AeroVironment to discover the Saber 4x4 armored vehicle armed with Switchblade loitering munition and a full technical review about the Switchblade 300 and 600 loitering munitions which are now in service with the Ukrainian army and used against Russian forces.
View More