AeroVironment [AVAV] on Monday said it has completed its $405 million acquisition of Arcturus UAV, expanding the company’s portfolio of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) to include medium-endurance systems.
AeroVironment’s legacy UAV capabilities are in Group 1 hand-launched systems for U.S. and international military customers.
Arcturus develops and produces UAVs in the Group 2 category, which weigh between 21 and 55-pounds, and Group 3, which weigh less than 1,320 pounds.
Arcturus is one of six companies competing for task order under a U.S. Special Operations Command contract potentially worth $975 million for the Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft System IV program. The companies compete to provide UAS services and support for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.
Arcturus is also one of four companies demonstrating UAS capabilities for the Army’s Future Tactical UAS program that is potentially worth $1 billion.
“As we welcome the Arcturus UAV team to AeroVironment, we commit to maintaining or exceeding the high level of service our existing and new customers experience,” Wahid Nawabi, president and CEO of AeroVironment, said in a statement. “The JUMP 20 and T-20 platforms, combined with associated ISR services, represent a significant expansion of AeroVironment’s portfolio of intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems that will enhance long-term shareholder value and help our customer around the world ‘Proceed with Certainty.’”