Arlington, Va., October 15, 2024 – AeroVironment (AV) successfully showcased the maritime prowess of its combat-proven JUMP® 20 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) during the NATO REPMUS 2024 (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Uncrewed Systems) exercise off the coast of Portugal. This dynamic demonstration reinforced JUMP 20’s advanced Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, autonomously launching and landing on a moving vessel in rough seas, with conditions reaching sea state level 5 and winds over 20 kts.
The JUMP 20 also highlighted its multi-sensor mission versatility, seamlessly executing wide-area search and detection tasks. Its advanced Electro Optical and Mid-Wave Infrared (MWIR) turret automatically slewed to investigate identified targets without repositioning the platform, ensuring constant operational focus. Full-motion video was captured and later analyzed using AV’s cutting-edge computer vision technology, SPOTR-Edge™, enabling perception analysis using its robust library of object classifications, including persons, vehicles, and maritime vessels. Additionally, video from this event will further enhance the solution, making the JUMP 20 even more capable for future deployments by refining its object recognition and situational response capabilities.
REPMUS is an annual exercise uniting NATO allies, European Union entities, industry leaders, and academic partners to push the boundaries of uncrewed maritime systems in real-world scenarios.
“We were honored to participate in this year’s REPMUS exercise, where we demonstrated JUMP 20’s maritime capabilities in action,” said Shane Hastings, AV’s vice president and general manager of Medium UAS. “The JUMP 20’s autonomous precision landing in challenging sea states – without the need for launch or recovery equipment – showcases the system’s unmatched flexibility. By enabling fully hands-free operations, we maximize operational safety and efficiency from takeoff to landing.”
AV’s successful demonstration at REPMUS 2024 reaffirms its commitment to pushing the boundaries of UAS technology for naval warfare. The JUMP 20’s proven ability to execute complex shipboard operations with minimal human intervention sets a new standard for maritime UAS operations, driving operational superiority at sea.
