AeroVironment, Inc.: A Pioneer in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation

Introduction

AeroVironment, Inc. is an American defense contractor headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, that designs and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Founded by Paul B. MacCready Jr., a designer of human-powered aircraft, in 1971, the company is best known for its lightweight human-powered and solar-powered vehicles. As the US military’s top supplier of small drones, AeroVironment’s notable models include the Raven, Switchblade, Wasp, and Puma.

This article will delve into the history of AeroVironment, its groundbreaking vehicles, and the impact they have made on the world of aviation and sustainable transportation.

1. The Early Years: Gossamer Dreams and Solar Innovation

In the late 1970s and 1980s, AeroVironment made its mark in aviation history by developing a series of human-powered and solar-powered aircraft. Among these were the Gossamer Condor, the Gossamer Albatross, the Gossamer Penguin, and the Solar Challenger.

1.1. Gossamer Condor

The Gossamer Condor was the first successful human-powered airplane. It won the first Kremer Prize in 1977 and is now on display at the US National Air and Space Museum (NASM).

1.2. Gossamer Albatross

In 1979, the Gossamer Albatross flew 23 miles (37 km) across the English Channel, claiming the largest prize in aviation history. Another Gossamer Albatross is displayed at the National Air and Space Museum.

1.3. Gossamer Penguin

The Gossamer Penguin was a solar-powered variant of the Gossamer Albatross.

1.4. Solar Challenger

This plane flew 163 miles (262 km) from Paris, France, to England on solar power alone.

2. High Altitude Solar (HALSOL) and NASA Collaboration

In the 1980s and 1990s, AeroVironment worked on various solar-powered UAVs, collaborating with the CIA, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), and NASA. These projects included the High Altitude Solar (HALSOL), NASA Pathfinder, Pathfinder Plus, Centurion, and Helios Prototype.

2.1. High Altitude Solar (HALSOL)

The CIA sponsored this solar-powered unmanned aircraft in the 1980s as the first unmanned solar-powered aircraft prototyped for national security missions. HALSOL was declassified and transferred to the BMDO in 1993, where it was modified as a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAV technology demonstrator capable of being weaponized to destroy boost-phase theater ballistic missiles (Boost Phase Intercept).

2.2. NASA Pathfinder and Pathfinder Plus

These unmanned planes were built by AeroVironment as part of NASA’s Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Program, demonstrating that an airplane could stay aloft for extended periods fueled by solar power. The Pathfinder was later rebuilt into the larger Pathfinder Plus, which is on display at NASM.

2.3. NASA Centurion

The Centurion was designed to achieve the ERAST Program’s goal of sustained flight at 100,000 feet (30,000 m) altitude.

2.4. NASA Helios Prototype

Derived from the Centurion, this solar cell and fuel cell-powered UAV set a world record for flight at 96,863 feet (29,524 m). It was intended to be the prototype for the production Helios aircraft, envisioned as an “atmospheric satellite.” The ERAST program was terminated in 2003, and as of 2008, Helios has not entered production. However, it has been reborn in the form of the Global Observer UAS, currently in development under a Joint Concept Technology Demonstration led by United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The key technology shift was switching from solar power to liquid hydrogen power.

Global Observer

The Global Observer made its first flight in the Mojave Desert in January 2011. The aircraft was powered by hydrogen, with four motors and twin-bladed props, a 175-foot (53 m) wingspan, 65,000-foot (20,000 m) maximum altitude, an airspeed greater than 120 mph (190 km/h), and a 5 to 7-day maximum flight duration.

4. Sustainable Ground Transportation

AeroVironment has also made significant contributions to sustainable ground transportation, such as the Sunraycer solar-powered car and the GM Impact electric car.

4.1. Sunraycer

This solar-powered car won the world’s first solar car race in Australia in 1987. The next fastest car finished two days later. The Sunraycer is currently on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

4.2. GM Impact

This electric car was developed as a prototype for a mass-production consumer vehicle.

5. Military UAVs

AeroVironment has produced a series of military UAVs, including the RQ-11 Raven, Wasp III, RQ-20 Puma, Nano Hummingbird, SkyTote, Switchblade, FQM-151 Pointer, RQ-14 Dragon Eye, Puma LE (Long Endurance), VAPOR Helicopter, and Snipe.

5.1. RQ-11 Raven

A small military UAV, the RQ-11 Raven is hand-launched with a wingspan of 4.5 feet (1.4 m) and a weight of 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg). It provides color and infrared video to its handheld ground control and remote viewing stations. As of June 2008, over 9,000 Ravens had been delivered or were on order.

5.2. Wasp III

A miniature, hand-launched UAV, the Wasp III provides aerial observation at line-of-sight ranges up to 3.1 miles (5.0 km). In 2007, the Wasp was selected by the US Air Force as the choice for their BATMAV Program. As of 2008, over 1,000 Wasp aircraft had been delivered.

5.3. RQ-20 Puma

The RQ-20 Puma is a small, lightweight, battery-powered, hand-launched production UAV that provides aerial observation at line-of-sight ranges up to 6.2 miles (10.0 km). Puma’s avionics enable autonomous flight via GPS navigation. It was designed to demonstrate advanced propulsion technologies. It flew in June 2007 for five hours, powered by an onboard “fuel cell battery hybrid energy storage system”. A flight in November 2007 lasted more than seven hours. On July 2, 2008, USSOCOM selected the Puma AE variant as its All Environment Capable Variant (AECV) solution.

5.4. Nano Hummingbird

Announced in 2011, the Nano Hummingbird is a hummingbird look-alike drone equipped with a camera. It can fly at speeds of up to 11 miles (18 km) per hour and can climb and descend vertically, fly sideways, forward and backward, as well as rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise by remote control for about eight minutes.

5.5. SkyTote

The SkyTote is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)-fixed wing hybrid UAV, which offers VTOL takeoff capability and decreased energy usage.

5.6. Switchblade

The Switchblade is a miniature, electrically powered, armed unmanned drone kamikaze weapon designed for field use. It is now deployed in two configurations: the 300 for attacking personnel and the 600 for attacking armor.

5.7. FQM-151 Pointer

The FQM-151 Pointer is an early military UAV designed for reconnaissance and surveillance.

5.8. RQ-14 Dragon Eye

The RQ-14 Dragon Eye is a small, portable UAV that provides military units with real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.

5.9. Puma LE (Long Endurance)

The Puma LE is a long-endurance version of the RQ-20 Puma, designed for extended flight times and greater surveillance capabilities.

5.10. VAPOR Helicopter

The VAPOR Helicopter is a VTOL UAV that combines the benefits of a helicopter with the endurance and efficiency of a fixed-wing aircraft.

5.11. Snipe

The Snipe is a quadrotor design small enough to be deployed by an individual to collect surveillance. It weighs 5 oz (0.14 kg), can reach speeds of 20 mph (32 km/h) with a range of more than 0.6 mi (0.97 km), has flight times of 15 minutes, can withstand winds of 15 mph (24 km/h), and is equipped with EO/IR. It is low light-capable and includes long-wave infrared sensors to take photos or video in day or night conditions. In May 2017, the first 20 Snipes were delivered to an undisclosed U.S. military customer.

5.12. Quantix Drone

The Quantix drone has a 40 km range, 45-minute flight time, 2.3 kg weight, and is controlled via encrypted radio. It offers automated, programmed autonomous flights and has a multifunctional camera.

Conclusion

Since its founding in 1971, AeroVironment, Inc. has been a pioneer in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles and sustainable transportation. The company’s innovations in human-powered, solar-powered, and hydrogen-powered vehicles have made significant contributions to the advancement of aviation and alternative energy solutions. AeroVironment’s UAVs have become integral to modern military and surveillance operations, showcasing the company’s continued impact on global security and technological innovation.