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TechUS Army awards AeroVironment $117.3M contract for 82 P550 eVTOL UAS
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The US Army has awarded a $117.3 million contract to AeroVironment for 82 P550 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). The award, under the Army's Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Marketplace initiative, supports the Long Range Reconnaissance program and Battalion Reconnaissance effort. This is the first full-rate order for the P550 platform, which is a Group 2 eVTOL UAS with modular open systems architecture. It can carry multi-sensor payloads up to 15 pounds, operate for up to five hours on battery power, and support missions including ISR, precision strike, electronic warfare, and communications relay. The system can be reconfigured in under five minutes without tools. AeroVironment CEO Wahid Nawabi emphasized the platform's adaptability for contested environments. Earlier in 2025, the company also secured a $186 million order for Switchblade loitering munitions.
Source report
AeroVironment's P550 is an autonomous Group 2 eVTOL UAS. Credit: © AeroVironment, Inc.
The US Army has awarded a $117.3 million contract to AeroVironment for the delivery of its P550 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
Contract Details
The award was issued under a Basic Ordering Agreement through the Army's Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Marketplace initiative. It forms part of the service's Long Range Reconnaissance programme, aimed at enhancing intelligence and operational flexibility in modern combat environments.
Under the contract, AeroVironment will deliver 82 P550 uncrewed aircraft systems in support of the US Army's Battalion Reconnaissance effort.
According to the company, this procurement marks the first full-rate order for the P550 platform and reflects the Army's strategy to rapidly adopt commercially developed technologies that support:
- Long-range surveillance
- Autonomous operations
- Distributed mission execution
Platform Capabilities
The P550 is categorised as a Group 2 eVTOL UAS and features a modular open systems architecture, allowing integration with third-party payloads, data links, and mission planning software.
Key specifications include:
- Multi-sensor payload capacity: up to 15 pounds (lbs), with options for enhanced lethality
- Flight endurance: up to five hours on battery power
- Mission types: intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), precision strike, electronic warfare (EW), and communications relay across air, ground, and maritime domains
Field Reconfiguration
According to AeroVironment, the P550 can be reconfigured at the field level in less than five minutes, enabling operators to change payloads and batteries without tools. This capability is intended to reduce operator workload and adapt quickly to evolving requirements.
Executive Comment
AeroVironment chairman, president and CEO Wahid Nawabi said: "In today's battlespace, adaptability is no longer an advantage, it's a requirement. The P550 gives manoeuvre forces the ability to rapidly reconfigure, extend their reach, and deliver effects across domains, all while operating in contested environments where speed and autonomy are decisive."
Related Contract
Earlier this year, AeroVironment secured a $186 million delivery order from the US Army for its Switchblade 600 Block 2 and Switchblade 300 Block 20 explosively formed penetrator (EFP) loitering munition systems.
Source
Army TechnologyWestern
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AeroVironment to deliver 82 P550 eVTOL UAS in $117.3m US Army deal