News & Articles
US Army Eyes STUAS Drones For Battalions
October 16, 2009
US Army officials have identified a gap for a battalion-level unmanned aircraft system that could be addressed by platforms such as the Boeing/Insitu Scan Eagle or AAI Aerosonde.
In the interim, the army is fielding a family of Wasp, Puma and Raven micro-unmanned systems - all made by Aerovironment - for platoon- and company-level operations and an extended-range version of the AAI RQ-7C Shadow for brigades.
-> View MoreMore Unmanned Aircraft Striving To Eliminate IEDs
October 09, 2009
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 7, 2009) -- The Army trained more than 1,400 Soldiers, Marines and civilians to fly unmanned aircraft systems in 2009, and expects to train more than 2,300 in 2010. A group of aviators at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting Tuesday discussed the use of unmanned aircraft systems for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Smiths Detection, AeroVironment and US Army Collaborate on Chemical Agent-Detecting UAV
October 05, 2009
EDGEWOOD, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smiths Detection today announces the successful creation and demonstration of an unmanned aircraft chemical detection and identification system capable of warning troops against chemical warfare agents. The detection and identification system, able to fit in the interchangeable nose cone of a Raven® UAV, is a result of the collaborative efforts between Smiths Detection, AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) (Nasdaq: AVAV), the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center and other U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) laboratories.
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AV Featured on ABC News, Ahead of the Curve
September 29, 2009

AV’s Raven Helps Protect Danish Soldiers In Afghanistan
September 25, 2009
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- The Scandinavian countries are in an arms deal frenzy: While Sweden is in negotiations to sell fighter jets to Brazil, Denmark is looking to buy a host of weapons systems to boost its troops in Afghanistan.
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Test Flights: New Unmanned Aircraft Tested At Dugway
September 24, 2009
DUGWAY - The U.S. Army's unmanned aircraft effort officially stepped out of its infancy Wednesday with the opening of a new center that will pool resources and brainpower. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office Rapid Integration and Acceptance Center's mission is to develop more, better, faster deployments of the remotely controlled surveillance and communication relay vehicles. Both Army brass and ground troops say the aircraft are the best thing next to their gun and helmet to have on the battlefield. View Dugway UAS Video Footage
-> View MoreHuman-Powered Helicopters Get a Bigger Carrot
September 02, 2009
Firms Vie For Share Of Growing Unmanned Plane Market
August 12, 2009
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq may slow sales of some unmanned aerial vehicles after years of exponential growth, but demand from civilian agencies and foreign countries will underpin the market for years to come, industry and defense officials said on Tuesday.
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AeroVironment Awarded U.S. Patent For Electric Vehicle Energy Data Management And Control
August 10, 2009
MONROVIA, Calif., Aug. 10, 2009 -- AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) (NASDAQ: AVAV) has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for technology that facilitates the optimal charging, management, control and maintenance of battery packs, chargers and electric vehicles (EVs). Patent No. 7,444,192 builds on AV's intellectual property portfolio in its Efficient Energy Systems business segment. This segment's products include PosiCharge® systems, the leading fast charge systems for electric vehicles. -> View More