AeroVironment receives $18.5 M order for sUAV

The most widely used small unmanned aircraft system in the world should have no problem maintaining its rank thanks to a recent order.  AeroVironment Inc.  has announced an $18.5 million order through the Foreign Military Sales program and the Seven Allied Nations for its RQ-11B Raven. The order also includes spare parts and contractor logistics services.

The Raven is designed for rapid deployment and high mobility in low-altitude intelligence gathering situations. The fixed-wing system weighs roughly 4.2 pounds and is launched into flight by hand.

“Allied forces around the globe are increasingly relying on AeroVironment as the go-to source for small UAS that deliver powerful insight, on demand for valuable, real-time situational awareness,” said Kirk Flittie, AeroVironment vice president and UAS business segment general manager.

In August, the U.S. Army completed an order for the Raven and the RQ-20A Puma AE, another sUAV, for roughly $47 million. Also in August, the company was awarded a $3.4 million contract for its Raven system from the Spanish Ministry of Defense.

In April, the company appointed Roy Minson to lead strategy for commercial UAS market entry.