AeroVironment Expands Capabilities of its Puma UAS Product Line with New Smart 2500 Battery and Bungee Launch System

• New Puma Smart 2500 Battery extends Puma LE’s flight time by nearly 20 percent with up to 6.5 hours of endurance, delivering longer time on station, greater range, and maximizing its multi-mission capabilities
• Now compatible with Puma 2 AE, Puma 3 AE and Puma LE, the Puma Bungee Launch System (BLS) expands aircraft launch options and operational capabilities

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), today announced the launch of two new Puma product line enhancement options that reinforce the company’s commitment to continuous improvement and expanding the operational capabilities of its family of tactical UAS. The newly announced product enhancement options are a result of AeroVironment’s collaboration with front-line users to develop innovative solutions that enable customers to proceed with certainty in ever-changing operational environments.

Puma Smart 2500 Battery – Puma LE

Available for Puma™ LE, the optional Puma Smart 2500 Battery allows operators to achieve an extended flight time of up to 6.5 hours. The increased endurance provides operators with greater time on station, maximizing Puma LE’s multi-mission capabilities across land and maritime environments. This high-energy-density, lithium-ion battery pack features an improved capacity of 24.5Ah (amp-hours) while retaining the size and form factor needed to be seamlessly integrated into Puma LE’s existing battery bay.

Puma Bungee Launch System (BLS)

AeroVironment’s Puma Bungee Launch System (BLS), a military-grade bungee launcher that is standard equipment with every Puma LE system, is now available as an enhancement option for Puma 2 AE and Puma 3 AE. The BLS allows for the assisted launch of Puma AE UAS in environmental conditions where hand launch is not practical or is limited. Designed with mission-flexibility in mind, the BLS can be securely installed in a variety of soil types or mounted to low, immovable objects. The lightweight and portable all-environment system can be set up and operational in less than 10 minutes.

“AeroVironment is committed to anticipating and delivering innovative solutions that are critical to tactical UAS operators downrange,” explains Rick Pedigo, vice president of sales and business development for AeroVironment. “These two new enhancement options will expand our customers’ operational capabilities, while maximizing operator safety and improving operational efficiency, allowing them to focus on the mission at hand.”  

The Puma Bungee Launch System is currently available for order/delivery, and the Puma Smart 2500 Battery will be available for order/delivery before the end of the third quarter, calendar year 2020. For more information, visit www.avinc.com

About Puma LE

Delivering Group 2 capabilities in a Group 1 footprint, the AeroVironment Puma™ LE weighs only 23.5 pounds (10.7 kilograms), is launchable by hand or bungee and provides a dedicated secondary payload bay in addition to its Mantis i45 EO/IR sensor suite. When used with AeroVironment’s Puma Smart 2500 Battery and Long-Range Tracking Antenna (LRTA), flight endurance is expanded to 6.5 hours with an operational range of 37.3 miles (60 kilometers). Puma LE’s economical dual-case mission pack contains everything needed to perform two complete 6.5-hour missions with a single aircraft, optional Puma Smart 2500 Battery and Ground Control System (GCS). Puma LE utilizes plug and play, interoperable line-replaceable unit (LRU) components that can be shared with other Puma AE aircraft.

About AeroVironment Tactical UAS

The RQ-20A/B Puma™, Puma™ LE, RQ-11B Raven®, RQ-12A Wasp®, VAPOR® Helicopter, together with Quantix™ Recon, comprise AeroVironment’s family of tactical unmanned aircraft systems. This family of systems provides increased capability to the warfighter that gives ground commanders the option of selecting the appropriate aircraft based on the type of mission to be performed. This increased capability has the potential to provide significant force protection and force multiplication benefits to small tactical units and security personnel. AeroVironment provides logistics services worldwide to ensure a consistently high level of operational readiness. AeroVironment has delivered thousands of new and replacement tactical unmanned air vehicles to customers within the United States and to 50 allied governments.

About AeroVironment, Inc.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) provides customers with more actionable intelligence so they can proceed with certainty. Based in California, AeroVironment is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems and tactical missile systems, and serves defense, government, and commercial customers. For more information, visit www.avinc.com.