AeroVironment Expands Puma™ Visual Navigation System (VNS) Kit to Puma LE

Key Terms

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) technical

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are networks of satellites that provide precise location and timing information anywhere on Earth. They are like an invisible GPS grid that helps devices determine exact positions, enabling navigation, mapping, and timing for various applications. For investors, GNSS technology underpins many modern services and industries, making it a key component of the global digital infrastructure.

GNSS-denied technical

GNSS-denied describes situations where devices or operations cannot receive signals from satellite navigation systems like GPS, either because signals are blocked, jammed, spoofed or otherwise unavailable. For investors, it signals a need for alternative technologies or safeguards—like inertial sensors, local beacons or mapping systems—because businesses that rely on satellite positioning (drones, ships, autonomous vehicles, network timing) may face service disruption, safety risks, or added costs to stay resilient.

Visual Navigation System (VNS) technical

A visual navigation system (VNS) is a tool that helps users easily find and access different parts of a digital platform or website through clear, visual cues like menus, icons, and images. It functions like a map or directory, guiding investors quickly to the information they need without confusion. This improves user experience, making it simpler to understand complex data and make informed decisions.

Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) technical

Visual inertial odometry (VIO) is a technology that combines camera images and motion sensors to track movement and determine position accurately. Think of it as giving a device "eyes" and a "sense of balance" to understand where it is and how it’s moving. For investors, VIO is important because it enables advanced navigation and positioning in autonomous systems, which can impact the development of driverless vehicles, robotics, and related industries.

Laser Target Designator technical

A laser target designator is a device that uses a focused beam of light to precisely mark a specific location or object. It is often used to guide equipment or actions toward a target with high accuracy. For investors, understanding this technology is important because it can impact industries related to defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing, influencing company performance and market opportunities.

Universal Gimbal Kit technical

A universal gimbal kit is a set of adjustable components designed to stabilize and support cameras or electronic devices, allowing smooth and steady movement during filming or operation. For investors, it highlights advancements in technology that improve the quality of visual content and may influence industries like media, entertainment, and consumer electronics by enabling more professional and reliable device performance.

small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) technical

A small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) is a lightweight flying device operated remotely without a human onboard, similar to a drone used for photography or delivery. It matters to investors because these systems are increasingly used in industries like agriculture, infrastructure inspection, and logistics, potentially transforming markets and creating new opportunities for growth and innovation.

intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) technical

Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) involves gathering information about surroundings, activities, or objects to understand what is happening around them. It’s like using cameras, sensors, or other tools to monitor and collect data, helping decision-makers see potential risks or opportunities. For investors, ISR insights can influence strategic choices by providing a clearer picture of market conditions, emerging trends, or potential threats.

Upgrade enables navigation in GNSS-contested environments for the Puma LE

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in all-domain defense systems, today announced the integration of its Visual Navigation System (VNS) kit with the Puma™ Long Endurance (LE) small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS), delivering Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)-denied navigation capability to ensure mission success.

Puma LE gains GNSS-denied navigation with AV’s Visual Navigation System (VNS kit), ensuring precise, resilient flight and mission continuity in contested environments.

First introduced in 2022 for the Puma 2 AE and Puma 3 AE, the VNS kit uses advanced computer vision and onboard processing to deliver precise, GNSS-independent navigation, and its integration into Puma LE now extends this capability across the full Puma family for greater flexibility and resilience in degraded or denied environments.

“Assured navigation is critical to the mission, especially as GNSS becomes an increasingly vulnerable resource,” said Jason Hendrix, Vice President of Small Uncrewed Systems for AV. “By fusing visual and inertial data in real time, the system enables uninterrupted flight paths, accurate geolocation, and mission continuity in unreliable GNSS regions.”

Using a suite of downward-facing sensors, cameras and onboard computing, the VNS kit performs Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) to capture and analyze terrain imagery, estimating true aircraft position in real time. The system fuses continuous visual data from the cameras with motion inputs from onboard inertial sensors to calculate precise position, velocity, and orientation—allowing the aircraft to know where it is and where it is going when GNSS is not available. It automatically transitions between GNSS-enabled and GNSS-denied modes with zero pilot input, ensuring uninterrupted mission continuity in contested environments.

In September, AV announced several upgrades to the Puma LE platform that include the integration of a Laser Target Designator and the release of the Universal Gimbal Kit, enhancements that evolve Puma LE beyond ISR into a cutting-edge precision-engagement system.

“Every upgrade to Puma LE, including the addition of the VNS kit and our new laser designator and gimbal capabilities, is driven by one goal: giving the warfighter greater confidence, flexibility, and capability,” said Trace Stevenson, President of Autonomous Systems at AV. “These recent releases are a great example of AV constantly evolving our platforms to ensure they are at the forefront of technology and providing best in class capability to the warfighter.”

The VNS Kit is designed as an add-on option for new Puma 3 AE or Puma LE system orders and as a retrofit kit allowing existing Puma 2 AE, Puma 3 AE, and Puma LE customers to upgrade fielded systems. The compact two-piece add on installs easily into existing Pumas with minimal impact on performance and fits within the standard Puma cases for efficient mission packout. The standard Puma LE system weighs just 23.8 pounds and offers 6.5 hours of endurance, a 60-kilometer range, is inaudible at 500 feet and features tool-free payload swaps for seamless transitions between intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), targeting, and other mission sets.

About AV

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.

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 AV’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

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Media Contact:

Ashley Young

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703.718.4060

Investor Contact:

Denise Pacioni

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Source: AeroVironment, Inc.