Press Release

AV and Applied Intuition Establish Strategic Collaboration to Advance Uncrewed Teaming

07/29/2026

Applied Intuition’s Acuity ISR/Strike software to enable collaborative hunter-killer and swarm behaviors on AV’s Mayhem 10 Launched Effects system  

ARLINGTON, Va. and SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 29, 2026 — AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV), a leader in uncrewed aircraft systems, and Applied Intuition, Inc., a global leader in physical AI and collaborative autonomy software, today announced a strategic teaming agreement to advance uncrewed teaming capabilities for the United States Military and its allies.  

Under the agreement, Applied Intuition’s Acuity ISR/Strike software will be integrated into AV’s Mayhem™ 10 launched effects system, enabling autonomous collaborative hunter-killer and swarm operations in contested environments. Under the supervision of a single operator, the integrated solution will enable teams of Mayhem 10 to autonomously find, fix, track, target, and engage targets at the tactical edge. 

The collaboration directly supports the U.S. Army’s Launched Effects program and is designed to scale across short, medium, and long range launched effects requirements and displays AV’s commitment to open architecture. 

“Mayhem 10 isn’t just a munition. It’s an architecture,” said Brian Young, Senior Vice President of Loitering Munitions at AV. “We built it as an open, modular system from the beginning. That allows us to integrate multiple payloads like EO/IR sensors, electronic warfare packages, communications relays, and lethal effects onto a single platform. It also allows us to bring in third-party software and autonomy much more quickly, treating capability more like an application than a fixed feature set.” 

By leveraging a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), Mayhem 10 enables integration with third-party autonomy solutions, demonstrating the platform’s flexible, vendor-agnostic architecture and commitment to interoperability across the launched effects ecosystem. 

“Modern warfare demands trusted systems that can think, coordinate, and adapt faster than the adversary,” said Jason Brown, General Manager of Applied Intuition. “Our Acuity ISR/Strike software brings collaborative autonomy to Mayhem 10, rapidly delivering next-generation capabilities through platform-agnostic software with operator oversight. Acuity ISR/Strike enables intelligent swarms that share targeting data in real time, dynamically adjust to threats, and execute missions that would be impossible for individual platforms.” 

During a recent demonstration, the companies validated the integration by executing collaborative autonomy behaviors, demonstrating how multiple Mayhem 10 launched effects systems can synchronize, swarm and adapt to different threats. The demonstration validated months of integration efforts conducted across multiple locations using AV’s Autonomy Interface Control Document (ICD). 

MORE ON Mayhem 10 

Mayhem 10 is AV’s next-generation autonomous launched effects system, designed to give military commanders a single, highly adaptable platform capable of delivering both kinetic and non-kinetic effects across air, ground, and maritime operations. Built on the combat-proven heritage of the Switchblade® family, Mayhem 10 features a modular open architecture that allows operators to rapidly swap mission payloads for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, communications relay, or precision strike missions without changing the air vehicle.  

The system carries a 10-pound payload, operates at ranges exceeding 100 kilometers with more than 50 minutes of endurance, and can be assembled and launched in less than five minutes. Powered by AI-enabled autonomy, Mayhem 10 is designed to operate in GPS-denied and electronically contested environments while resisting jamming and spoofing. Its Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) enables rapid technology upgrades and third-party payload integration, while seamless interoperability with AV’s Tomahawk Grip controller and AV_Halo™ COMMAND software allows the system to execute missions. By extending sensing and effects far beyond the launch platform, Mayhem 10 increases survivability, expands operational reach, reduces risk to personnel and high-value assets, and provides commanders with a scalable, multi-role capability that can rapidly adapt to evolving battlefield requirements. 

MORE ON ACUITY ISR/STRIKE 

Acuity ISR/Strike is Applied Intuition’s platform-agnostic autonomy software that enables launched effects and other unmanned systems to perceive, decide, and act collaboratively in contested environments with operator oversight. It supports autonomous target detection, coordinated multi-agent teaming, and real-time mission adaptation, allowing multiple platforms to execute complex missions with greater speed, precision, and resilience in line with commander intent. 

About AV 

AeroVironment (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV) is a defense technology leader delivering integrated capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. The Company develops and deploys autonomous systems, loitering munitions, counter-UAS technologies, space-based platforms, directed energy systems, and cyber and electronic warfare capabilities—built to meet the mission needs of today’s warfighter and tomorrow’s conflicts. At the core of these technologies lies AV_Halo™, a modular, mission-ready suite of AI-powered software tools that empowers warfighters and enables full-battlefield dominance: detect, decide, deliver. With a national manufacturing footprint and a deep innovation pipeline, AV delivers proven systems and future-defining capabilities at speed, scale, and operational relevance. For more information, visit www.avinc.com. 

About Applied Intuition 

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with nearly two dozen offices across the globe, including in London, Munich, Tokyo, Seoul, and the Washington, D.C. metro area. Learn more at applied.co or press@applied.co. 

Safe Harbor Statement 

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, our ability to perform under existing contracts and obtain new ones; regulatory changes; competitor activities; market growth; product development challenges; and general economic conditions. For a more detailed discussion of these risks, please refer to AeroVironment’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AeroVironment undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events. 

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For additional media and information, please follow us: 

 

AV Media Contact:  

BJ Koubaroulis  
pr@avinc.com 

703.718.4060 

 

Applied Intuition Media Contact:  

Jaspreet Gill 

jaspreet@applied.co 

(845) 798-2791 

 

AV Investor Contact:  

Denise Pacioni 

ir@avinc.com 

805.795.4108 

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Thought Leadership

2nd Marine Regiment Tests First-Ever Group 3 UAS Capabilities at the Conventional Level

07/22/2026

Posted to DVIDS

07.17.2026

Story by Sgt. Alexis French 

2nd Marine Division  

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – Amidst the remote sands and sweltering heat of the California desert, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, embarks on the U.S. Marine Corps’ pioneer test of the JUMP 20-X equipped with the Switchblade 300 Block 20 at the conventional level during Service Level Training Exercise 4-26.

JUMP 20-X is a Group 3 unmanned aircraft system possessing capabilities of 12 hours in-air flight time, electro-optical infrared camera payloads, a 115-mile operational range, and up to 30-pounds of payload capacity—leading to one of Jump 20-X’s biggest assets: the Switchblade 300 Block 20, a loitering munition released from the undercarriage of the JUMP 20-X.

On July 16th and 17th, 2nd Marines experimented JUMP 20-X equipped with the Switchblade 300 Block 20 munition alongside developer, AeroVironment. In a groundbreaking success for the regiment, they accurately engaged a target 25 kilometers into the battlespace.

[Switchblade 300 Block 20] can be launched, go into a holding pattern as you look for your adversary and you can directly fly some organic precision fires that are tube launched from Marines on the ground,” said CWO2 Christopher Leone, the 2nd Marine Regiment intel operations and fusion officer; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tactical controller. “For the JUMP 20-X experiment that we’re doing, AeroVironment has tested its capabilities to launch that same ground loitering munition from the belly of the bird itself.”

Incorporating the Switchblade 300 Block 20 into the battlefield gives the Marine Corps an additional loitering munition that organically incorporates with troops on the ground–similar to Organic Precision Fires-Light that is currently used by infantry units–and provides fires at the regiment level to engage the adversary.

“We at 2nd Marines are the first ones testing a Group 3 asset at the Regimental level,” Leone said. “[The Marine Corps has] the Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadrons 1, 2, and 3 that fly the MQ-9s in the Group 5 level of assets, but it would be great for the Regiment because we’re outside of the [air] wings. We’re supporting the Ground Combat Element that doesn’t have an asset that can fly as far as the Group 5, so this is something that hasn’t been tested before.”

2nd Marines realizes the positive impact this Group 3 asset will have in future operations as it provides capabilities not found in the Marine Corps’ other assets.

2nd Marine Regiment has only USMC Group 1 Program of Record in their arsenal to include the Puma AE, and quadcopters such as SkyDio X2D and Sky Raider, stated Leone.

With Group 1 assets having small duration flight times ranging from 30 minutes to an hour and a half and limited flight distance, the JUMP 20-X stands out for its longevity and ability to travel miles into deep battlespace.

“[JUMP 20-X] is big for us, and to fly it into the regimental deep space as we’re looking to shape fires in the environment for our battalions to keep moving towards the next objective–none of our current PORs that are Group 1 would be able to go that far,” Leone said. JUMP 20-X is a product of AeroVironment, who is also the producer of the Marine Corps’ Puma AE. Having that working relationship with the company, 2nd Marines reached out in February of this year, interested in their Group 3 capabilities.

“As the [2nd Marine] Regiment, this is the first conventional unit to at least test and do a combat research and development agreement with AeroVironment,” Leone said, referring to the predominant units working with AeroVironment being special forces across the Department of War. “We invited AeroVironment out here for our mid-planning conference, all in support of SLTE 4-26, and they agreed upon it and are in direct support of the regiment to give us this capability.”

As of now, 2nd Marines does not have any Small Unmanned Aircraft System Operators, MOS 7316, who have the training to fly Group 3 assets.

We’re trying to fix the lack of pilots for Group 3 through this week’s testing, experimentation and research, Leone said. Currently, MOS 7300 Marines fly the Group 2 Stalker and Group 5 assets.

Through learning side-by-side with AeroVironment contractors, who operate JUMP 20-X for the Marines at SLTE 4-26, 2nd Marines is confident that with their support through MDMX and MWX force-on-force later this August, they’ll be ahead of the curve in targeting the adversary–advancing the Marine Corps’ future of UAS capabilities deep into the ever-changing battlefield.

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Mayhem 10

04/02/2026

Mayhem 10

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