Autonomous System Paves Way For New Era Of Battlefield Adaptability

AeroVironment (AV) introduced the P550™ advanced autonomous Group 2 eVTOL uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) at this week’s Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

The vehicle combines the capabilities of a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) and AI-driven autonomy to empower maneuver forces to respond quickly as mission demands evolve with its rapid deployment, scalability, and excellent situational awareness.

The P550’s all-electric powertrain provides more than 5 hours of flight endurance and a multisensory payload capacity of up to 15 pounds. These are capable of delivering critical intelligence, precision targeting, and force protection in contested and dynamic environments.

Trace Stevenson, SVP and General Manager of Uncrewed Systems at AVsaid, "Warfighters today require systems that can quickly adapt to fluid combat scenarios, providing unmatched reliability and flexibility. P550 meets these needs through an adaptable, field-reconfigurable design that allows rapid, on-the-fly adjustments for evolving operational requirements.”

The P550’s MOSA framework allows for seamless integration with many thur-dparty payloads, datalinks, ground control systems, and mission software. The vehicle’s modular design features toolless airframe assembly with hot-swappable batteries and multi-sensor payloads for maximum readiness in fast-moving situations.

The UAS supports laser designation, sensor-to-shooter functionalities, and proven munitions. The P550 has integrated AV’s SPOTR-Edge™ Automatic Target Recognition and AVACORE™ software suite for onboard computing. The advanced AI capabilities enable the UAS to autonomously detect and classify relevant objects – from personnel and vehicles to aircraft and maritime vessels during day or night. These greatly enhance situational awareness and tactical decision-making in real time on the battlefield.

FMI:  www.avinc.com/