AeroVironment Inc.(AVAV) yesterday announced it received $4.6 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) capable of performing “hover/perch and stare” missions.
The stealthy, persistent, perch and stare (SP2S) UAS is based on AeroVironment’s (AV) small Wasp UAS, a one-pound, 29-inch wingspan battery-powered air vehicle that is being procured and deployed by both the Air Force and Marines.
The goal of the SP2S program is to develop the technology to allow a new generation of perch-and-stare micro air vehicles to be able to fly to difficult targets, landing on that target and going into a “perch” position. The UAS would then conduct sustained, perch-and-stare surveillance missions, and then re-launch from its perch and returning to its home base–think of a bird flying to a building, landing, looking around, and eventually flying off.
“A UAS that performs hover/perch and stare missions is viewed as an important capability for our armed forces,” John Grabowsky, AV executive vice president and general manager of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, said in a statement. “Our production Wasp incorporates the latest technologies to provide a day and night capable, hand-launched UAS that fits into a standard backpack while still providing room for other important supplies. We believe that the Wasp-based SP2S, operated with our joint, common ground control unit, is on track to develop into a portable, practical and affordable perch-and-stare micro air vehicle.”
U.S. armed forces including the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and U.S. Special Operations Command, as well as international forces such as those of Italy, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands, use AV’s hand-launched UAS and handheld ground control unit for missions that include base security, route reconnaissance, mission planning, battle damage assessment and force protection.
Wasp, Raven and Puma AE each have won full and open competitions sponsored by agencies of the U.S. Defense Department, becoming the sole small UAS for their respective programs of record. AV has delivered more than 10,000 new, replacement and refurbished small unmanned aircraft to date.