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Tactical ISR
Delivering systems with unrivaled flexibility and capability, AeroVironment's Tactical Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) portfolio consists of lightweight ISR-equipped unmanned aircraft and a ground control system (GCS). The Puma™ AE, Raven®, Wasp® AE and Shrike VTOL™ are designed to provide valuable ISR and communications, including real-time tactical reconnaissance, tracking, combat assessment and geographic data, directly to the small tactical unit or individual warfighter, thereby increasing flexibility in mission planning and execution.
These small Tactical ISR unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) wirelessly transmit critical live video and other information generated by their payload of electro-optical or infrared sensors directly to a hand-held ground control unit, enabling the operator to view and capture images, during the day or at night, on the control unit. AeroVironment's common ground control system allows the operator to control the aircraft manually or program it for GPS-based autonomous navigation using operator-designated way-pointswaypoints. The ground control system is designed for durability and ease of use in harsh environments and incorporates a user-friendly, intuitive, graphical user interface. All of our small UAS operate from this common ground control system to reduce training costs and enhance operator flexibility.
All of AeroVironment's small UAS are designed to be man-portable, assembled without tools in less than five minutes and launched and operated by one person, with limited training required. The efficient and reliable electric motors used are powered by replaceable modular battery packs that can be swapped out quickly, enabling rapid return to flight.
In military applications, these small systems enable tactical commanders to observe around the next corner, to the next intersection or past the ridgeline in real-time. This information facilitates faster, safer movement through urban, rural and mountainous environments and can enable troops to be proactive based on field intelligence. Moreover, providing this critical information reduces the risk to warfighters and to the surrounding population by providing the ability to tailor the military response to the threat.
UAS: RQ-11B RavenThe Raven® is the most widely used unmanned aircraft system in the world today. The Raven B DDL® system, an enhanced version of the battle proven Raven B system, is a lightweight solution designed for rapid deployment and high mobility for military applications requiring low-altitude surveillance and reconnaissance intelligence.
Raven can be operated manually or programmed for autonomous operation, utilizing the system's advanced avionics and precise GPS navigation. With a wingspan of 4.5 feet and a weight of 4.2 pounds, the hand-launched Raven provides aerial observation, day or night, at line-of-sight ranges up to 10 kilometers. The Raven, now available with an optional stabilized gimbaled payload, delivers real-time color or infrared imagery to the ground control and remote viewing stations. AeroVironment's common GCS interfaces with all of its tactical ISR air vehicles reducing the level of training required and decreasing the time and cost involved.
About AeroVironmentSince our beginnings in 1971, we realized that securing the future would require more than clean power to drive our transportation needs, protect our infrastructure and sustain our resources; it would require that inexhaustible power...human power. Indeed, from building the world's first effective human-powered and solar powered airplanes to developing the world's first modern passenger electric car, that same pioneering spirit that inspired the late Paul MacCready has impassioned a whole new generation of AeroVironment innovators.
Today, whether we are empowering the 21st Century warfighter with our integrated and interoperable family of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or the 21st Century commuter with our home and public electric vehicle (EV) charging systems, human power gives us the vision, persistence, passion, agility and speed to meet our customers' continuously evolving needs and transform their lives.
As a result, our growing family of products and services are more than just that, they are truly different and remarkable solutions, critical for the well being of our nation and our society. Our small UAS provide cost-effective, reliable situational awareness that gives our armed forces and our allies the power to reconnoiter and even target the dangers ahead. While our practical and comprehensive EV charging solutions, like home chargers and fast chargers, are paving the way for a safer, cleaner and brighter world.
At AeroVironment, it's the power to protect and serve...to charge and go...to innovate and transform. But most of all, it's 40+ years of Human Power and it's giving our customers the power to win.
Management Team
Dr. Paul MacCready BiographyAugust 29, 2007
Paul MacCready was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1925. During his adolescence he was a serious model airplane enthusiast who set many records for experimental craft. At age 16, he soloed in powered planes. In World War II, he flew in the U.S. Navy flight training program.
In 1943 MacCready graduated from Hopkins School in New Haven. In 1947 he received his Bachelor of Science in physics from Yale University (Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi). His interest in flight grew to include gliders. He won the 1948, 1949 and 1953 U.S. National Soaring Championships, pioneered high-altitude wave soaring in the United States, and in 1947 became the first American in 14 years to establish an international soaring record. He represented the United States at contests in Europe four times, becoming International Champion in France in 1956, the first American to achieve this goal.
From 1946 through 1956, MacCready worked on sailplane development, soaring techniques, meteorology, and invented the Speed Ring Airspeed Selector that is used by glider pilots worldwide to select the optimum flight speed between thermals (now commonly called the "MacCready Speed"). Concurrently, he earned a master's degree in physics in 1948 and a Ph.D. in aeronautics in 1952 from the California Institute of Technology. He founded Meteorology Research Inc., which became a leading firm in weather modification and atmospheric science research. He pioneered the use of small, instrumented aircraft to study storm interiors and personally performed many of the piloting duties, some of the more harrowing examples of which he would recount in later years.
In 1971, MacCready founded AeroVironment, Inc., a diversified company headquartered in Monrovia, California. The company is a leader in unmanned aircraft systems and efficient electric energy systems. He was Chairman of the Board of AeroVironment and was an active mentor to the engineering staff.
MacCready became internationally known in 1977 as the "father of human-powered flight" when his Gossamer Condor made the first sustained, controlled flight by a heavier-than-air craft powered solely by its pilot's muscles. For the feat he received the $95,000 Henry Kremer Prize established in 1959. Two years later, his team created the Gossamer Albatross, another 70-pound craft with a 96 foot wingspan that, with DuPont sponsorship, achieved the first known human-powered flight across the English Channel. That flight, made by "pilot-engine" Bryan Allen, lasted nearly three hours. The accomplishment won MacCready the new Kremer prize of $213,000, at the time the largest cash prize in aviation history.
With sponsorship from DuPont, the AeroVironment team led by MacCready subsequently developed two more aircraft, this time powered by the sun. In 1980, the Gossamer Penguin made the first climbing flight powered solely by sunbeams. In 1981, the rugged Solar Challenger was piloted 163 miles from Paris, France to England, at an altitude of 11,000 feet. These solar-powered aircraft were built and flown to draw world attention to photovoltaic cells as a renewable and non-polluting energy source for home and industry, and to demonstrate the use of DuPont's advanced materials for lightweight structures.
Some years later, first with the U.S. Department of Defense and then with NASA support, MacCready and AeroVironment transitioned Solar Challenger technology into a series of unmanned, solar-powered stratospheric aircraft. The 100 foot wingspan Pathfinder achieved a peak altitude of 71,500 feet in 1997. The 120 foot wingspan Pathfinder Plus climbed over 80,000 feet in 1998. In August 2001 the giant, 247 foot wingspan Helios reached 96,863 feet, over 2 miles higher than any plane had ever sustained level flight.
The AeroVironment team's first land vehicle was the GM Sunraycer, with the company providing project management, systems engineering, aerodynamics and structural design, power electronics development, as well as construction and testing for General Motors and Hughes Aircraft. In November 1987, this solar-powered car won the 1,867 mile race across Australia, averaging 41.6 mph (50 percent faster than the second place vehicle in the field of 24 contestants). The goal of the Sunraycer, in addition to winning the race, was to advance transportation technology that makes fewer demands on the earth's resources and environment, and to inspire students to become engineers. In January 1990, the GM Impact was introduced, a battery-powered sports car with snappy "0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds" performance. GM later turned the Impact into the production vehicle EV 1. In 1985 the AeroVironment team had proposed to GM the initial concept for the Impact. In 1988-89 GM supported AeroVironment to handle program management, systems engineering, design of the electrical and mechanical elements, and build the vehicle, integrating the participation of a dozen GM divisions. This pioneering car became a catalyst for the initial California Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate and the related global developments of battery-powered and alternatively-fueled vehicles.
The unique vehicles produced by MacCready's teams have received international attention through exhibits, books, television documentaries, and innumerable articles and cover stories in magazines and newspapers. MacCready and AeroVironment have become symbols for creativity. The Gossamer Condor, Gossamer Albatross, Solar Challenger, QN, Sunraycer, and Pathfinder Plus were all acquired by the Smithsonian. The Gossamer Condor is on permanent display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. A film about it, "The Flight of the Gossamer Condor", won the Academy Award for Best Documentary - Short Subject in 1978. The Gossamer Albatross is displayed in the NASM Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles. The Sunraycer is displayed at the Smithsonian American History Museum, and the Pathfinder Plus is in the NASM Udvar-Hazy Center.
MacCready's achievements have brought him many honors, the including the following:
- Distinguished Alumni Award, 1978, California Institute of Technology
- Collier Trophy, 1979, by the National Aeronautics Association ("awarded annually for the greatest achievement in Aeronautics and Astronautics in America")
- Reed Aeronautical Award, 1979, by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics ("the most notable achievement in the field of aeronautical science and engineering")
- Edward Longstreth Medal, 1979, by the Franklin Institute
- Ingenieur of the Century Gold Medal, 1980, by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; also the Spirit of St. Louis Medal, 1978
- Inventor of the Year Award, 1981, by the Association for the Advancement of Invention and Innovation
- Klemperer Award, 1981, OSTIV, Paderborn, Germany
- I.B. Laskowitz Award, 1981, New York Academy of Science
- The Lindbergh Award, 1982, by the Lindbergh Foundation ("to a person who contributes significantly to achieving a balance between technology and the environment")
- Engineer of the Year Award, 1982, Engineers' Council, National Engineers Week
- Golden Plate Award, 1982, American Academy of Achievement
- Gold Air Medal, by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale
- Aircraft Design Award, 1982, AIAA
- Distinguished Service Award, Federal Aviation Administration
- Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Advance of Applied Meteorology, 1984, American Meteorological Society
- Public Service Grand Achievement Award, NASA
- Frontiers of Science and Technology Award, 1986, first award in this category given by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
- The "Lipper Award", 1986, for outstanding contribution to creativity, by the O-M Association (Odyssey of the Mind)
- Guggenheim Medal, 1987, jointly by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Society of Automotive Engineers, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- National Air and Space Museum Trophy for Current Achievement, 1988
- Enshrinement in The National Aviation Hall of Fame, July 1991, Dayton, Ohio
- SAE Edward N. Cole Award for Automotive Engineering Innovation, September 1991
- Scientist of the Year, 1992 ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists), San Diego Chapter
- Pioneer of Invention, 1992, United Inventors Association
- Chrysler Award for Innovation in Design, 1993
- Honorary Member designation, American Meteorological Society, 1995
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Ralph Coats Roe Medal, November 1998
- Howard Hughes Memorial Award, Aero Club of Southern California, January 1999
- Calstart's 1998 Blue Sky Merit Award, February 1999
- 1999 National Convention of the Soaring Society of America, dedicated to Paul MacCready, Feb. 1999
- Special Achievement Award, Design News, March 1999
- Included in Time magazine's "The Century's Greatest Minds" (March 29, 1999) series "on the 100 most influential people of the century"
- Lifetime Achievement Aviation Week Laureate Award, April 1999
- Commemorated in Palau stamp, 1 of 16 "Environmental Heroes of the 20th Century", Jan. 2000
- Institute for the Advancement of Engineering William B. Johnson Memorial Award, Feb. 2000
- Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, National Design Award – Product Design, Nov. 2000
- Hoyt Clarke Hottel Award, American Solar Energy Society, April 24, 2001 ("lifetime achievement as an inventor, specifically for inventing the world's first two solar-powered aircraft")
- 2001 World Technology Award for Energy, England, July 2001
- Prince Alvaro de Orleans Borbon Fund, First Annual Award, October 2001, from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, Switzerland
- The 2002 Walker Prize, Museum of Science, Boston, March 2002
- International von Karman Wings Award, Aerospace Historical Soc., May 2002
- Aerospace Award, 13th Annual Discover Magazine Award for Innovation in Science and Technology, July 2002
- Heinz Award for Technology, the Economy and Employment, The Heinz Family Foundation, March 2003
- Bower Award and Prize in Scientific Achievement, The Franklin Institute, April 2003
- Camarillo Air Show, Grand Marshall, August 2005
- 2005 Technology Leadership Award, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, August 2005
MacCready had many professional affiliations, including membership in the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society, and Fellow status in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Meteorological Society (he was also an AMS Certified Consulting Meteorologist, and was a member of the AMS Council), and the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. For two decades he was President of the International Human-Powered Vehicle Association. In 1999 he helped create the Dempsey-MacCready One Hour Distance Prize and provided $46,000 for expenses and prizes; the event concluded in July 2006 when 86 km was achieved. In April 2006 he donated a 1/6th scale Gossamer Albatross model to Hopkins School – the only product from a graduate on permanent display for this school that was established 340 years ago. He has served on many technical advisory committees and Boards of Directors for government, industry (public and private corporations), educational institutions, and foundations; and was most recently a Director of the Lindbergh Foundation and the Society for Amateur Scientists. He has fifteen patents.
He has been awarded seven honorary degrees (including Yale 1983) and made numerous commencement addresses. He has written many popular articles, and authored or co-authored over one hundred formal papers, reports, and journal and book articles in the fields of aeronautics; soaring and ultralight aircraft; biological flight; drag reduction; surface transportation; wind energy; weather modification; cloud physics; turbulence, diffusion, and wakes; equipment and measurement techniques; and perspectives on technology, efficiency, and global consequences and opportunities. As keynote/invited speaker he lectured widely for industry and educational institutions, emphasizing creativity and the development of broad thinking skills.
UAS: Wasp
The Wasp Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) is a small, portable, reliable, and rugged unmanned aerial platform designed for front-line day/night reconnaissance and surveillance. Wasp is the result of a multi-year joint development effort between AeroVironment and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
With a wingspan of 72 cm and a weight of 430 grams, the Wasp is AeroVironment's smallest UAS. Wasp can be manually operated or programmed for GPS-based autonomous navigation.
To ensure system interoperability, Wasp uses the same advanced technology found in other AeroVironment small UAS systems, such as Raven RQ11-B and Puma, and is controllable through a common Ground Control Station.
UAS: RQ-20A Puma AE
The Puma™ AE (All Environment) is a small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designed for land based and maritime operations. Capable of landing in the water or on land, the Puma AE empowers the operator with an operational flexibility never before available in the small UAS class.
The Puma AE is durable with a reinforced fuselage construction, man portable for ease of mobility and requires no auxiliary equipment for launch or recovery operations. The system is quiet to avoid detection and operates autonomously, providing persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting data (ISRT).
The Puma AE delivers 3.5+ hours of flight endurance, with versatile smart battery options to support diverse mission requirements. Its powerful propulsion system and aerodynamic design make it efficient and easy to launch, especially in high altitudes and hotter climates. A plug and play power adapter is provided for easy integration of future extended endurance options, such as, solar and fuel cell solutions.
It carries both an electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) camera plus illuminator on a lightweight mechanical gimbaled payload, allowing the operator to keep "eyes on target." For increased payload capacity, an optional under wing Transit Bay is available for easy integration of 3rd party payloads such as communications relay, geo locations, or laser marker to meet the diverse needs of military or civilian applications.
The precision navigation system with secondary GPS provides greater positional accuracy and reliability of the Puma AE. The UAV is operated from AeroVironment's battle proven ground control station (GCS) with a communications range of 15 km. The GCS allows the operator to control the aircraft manually or program it for GPS-based autonomous navigation. AeroVironment's common GCS is compatibility with the Raven, Wasp and Shrike UAS platforms.
UAS: Dragon Eye
Dragon Eye, the choice of the U.S. Marine Corps, is a fully autonomous, back-packable, bungee launched UAS designed to provide "over-the-next-hill" tactical reconnaissance and surveillance information.
With a wingspan of 3.75 feet and a weight of 5.9 pounds, the Dragon Eye airplane provides aerial observation at line-of-sight ranges of up to 5 kilometers. Using GPS navigation, the Dragon Eye autonomously flies from operator programmable waypoints. The Dragon Eye's electric motors provide an extremely low noise signature, and the small wingspan makes it difficult to detect in flight.
Dragon Eye's payloads are capable of real-time, high-resolution color or infrared imaging. In addition to viewing imagery in real time, this small UAS enables the operator to "click capture" and store still images on the mission-programming computer.
UAS: Ground Control System
The Ground Control System (GCS) provides a common command and control solution for AeroVironment's family of small UAS. Small, lightweight, and combat proven, the GCS displays real-time video from the air vehicle's payload cameras to personnel on the ground. In addition, the GCS allows the operator to capture screen images, store and playback data for target assessment, and facilitates real-time retransmission of video and metadata to an operations network.
When embedded at remote locations, a GCS can also be operated as a Remote Video Terminal (RVT), enabling Command Centers or Monitoring Stations with the same viewing and analysis capability of the UAV operator.
The GCS is compact and portable, taking up only a portion of a small backpack. It can be assembled in less than two minutes and its ease of use empowers the operators of Raven®, Wasp® and Puma™ small UAS with manual or autonomous capabilities to provide reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition missions day and night.
Stratospheric Persistent UAS
AeroVironment is developing extreme-endurance stratospheric aircraft to give our customers an affordable capability to establish geostationary stratospheric orbits located a long distance from aircraft launch and recovery locations. These orbits could/can be used for persistent (unblinking) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and communications relay missions, providing affordable global coverage from a limited number of forward bases.
Flight in the stratosphere enables aircraft to stay above weather and gives an aircraft's payload a wide area of coverage on the ground. It also reduces threats to the aircraft from ground-based countermeasures. AeroVironment's system will enable the persistence similar to a geostationary satellite with more operational flexibility and much less cost. Global Observer® is the stratospheric aircraft currently under development and under contract to provide this capability. Global Observer is hydrogen-powered and is designed to have an endurance of several days in the stratosphere.
Stratospheric Persistent UAS: Global Observer
AV is developing the Global Observer unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to be the first to provide robust, cost-effective and persistent communications and surveillance over any location on the globe, establishing an entirely new category of UAS. Global Observer's unique combination of both extreme flight duration and stratospheric operating altitude is designed to deliver advantages in cost, capacity, coverage, flexibility, and reliability that make it a compelling complement to existing satellite, aerial and terrestrial assets.
|Persistent Communications & Remote Sensing
|Stratospheric Global Persistence (all latitudes)
|Up to 1 week
|Up to 400 lbs. for GO-1
|Operating Altitude
|65,000 feet
|Propulsion System
|Liquid hydrogen powered
Global Observer is designed to address an urgent national security need for a persistent stratospheric platform and provides a means to satisfy numerous high value civil and commercial applications. Mission applications include communications relay & remote sensing payloads for military or commercial customers, as follows:
- Persistent, global, stratospheric loitering capability for defense and homeland security missions.
- Low-cost, rapidly deployable telecommunications infrastructure and GPS augmentation.
- Hurricane/storm tracking, weather monitoring, wildfire detection, and sustained support for relief operations.
- Aerial imaging/mapping for commercial and environmental monitoring, agriculture crop management and harvesting optimization.
Multiple communications and remote sensing applications have already been demonstrated from this operating position, including high definition broadcast (HDTV) video, and third generation (3G) mobile voice, video and data using an off-the-shelf mobile handset.
News & Events
This section is designed to help you stay informed. Whether you are interested in information pertaining to Unmanned Aircraft Systems or Efficient Electric Energy Systems, our News & Events section helps you to stay informed of the latest developments at AeroVironment and in our industries.
You can use this section as a resource to stay up-to-date on news items featuring our company and products, industry updates, press releases, upcoming events, product case studies and RSS feeds.
Check back frequently for news and updates.
Benefits & Compensation
Reward Your Mind
Imagine coming to a place where you really do learn something every day. If that sounds like your kind of place, then a job at AeroVironment could be for you.
Of course, loving your work isn't enough if your child gets sick or if you're worried about healthcare. That's why AeroVironment provides comprehensive benefits - from medical care to flexible spending accounts to dental care - to help keep you and your family well.
Make the most of your time off, too. When you live in Southern California, you can drive to the beach in 30 minutes and the mountains in an hour. Step out for a quick jog or bike ride. Some of our more adventurous employees even bike to work.
Internship Program
Never stop answering the question: "What did you learn today?"
You've spent years preparing to make history in your field. You want to intern at a company with a history of making history. An internship at AeroVironment offers practical, hands-on experience from day one. Whether you're in engineering, marketing, operations, or finance, you'll test. You'll learn. You'll surprise yourself. Launch your career today.
Are you interested in an internship? Please read our internship application instructions.
University Recruitment
AeroVironment participates in various university recruiting events throughout the year. Please check back often, as our event list will continue to be updated. We look forward to meeting you!
Previous Fall On Campus Career Fairs
Virginia Tech
September 15
September 30
October 1
October 7
Cal Poly SLO
October 8
Harvey Mudd
Engineering Career Fair
October 9
October 13
UC Davis
October 14
October 15
Cal Poly Pomona
October 30
Clean Energy Innovation
AV's history of developing advanced clean power system technologies dates back to its earliest projects. Since 1971 the company and its people have established numerous groundbreaking clean energy milestones, including designing and flying the world's first human powered aircraft, the Gossamer Condor, and the first solar powered manned aircraft, the Solar Challenger. AV also designed and built the GM Sunraycer, which set a record for solar powered vehicles.
Today, AV's clean power projects can be found harvesting wind energy, solar energy, and ocean energy. These solutions, whether they provide power for remote applications or are utility grid-connected, deliver clean energy that improves our lives and minimizes our impact on the environment.
The Future is Unmanned
AeroVironment is a world leader in the design and manufacture of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Since the introduction of Pointer in 1987, considered by many to be the first true small UAS for military use, AeroVironment's unmanned aircraft systems have supported U.S. and allied Armed Forces with reconnaissance data, helped protect endangered wildlife and preserve the environment.
AeroVironment's UAS continue to set the standard for delivering increasingly valuable capabilities in the most challenging conditions. These systems are used extensively by the U.S. military and allied forces to help establish intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) superiority on the front lines of today's hot zones. In fact, AeroVironment has won every United States Department of Defense competition for programs of record involving small UAS.
UAS have more than proven their value in the military world. Today, UAS are utilized for applications closer to home. Whether monitoring our borders, protecting its citizens, monitoring pipeline utility assets or finding those who are lost and in distress, small UAS can be launched quickly, day or night, to provide precise situational awareness whenever and wherever they are needed.
Support Services
AeroVironment is committed to supporting our customers with the same level of excellence expected from our unmanned aircraft. AeroVironment is dedicated to providing cost efficient mission services; best-value logistics support and advanced training services. Customers who require the information generated by small UAS but who may not wish to purchase and operate the equipment themselves can contract with AeroVironment for turnkey mission flight services. Qualified operators are deployed to locations around the world to provide small UAS-generated reconnaissance video and other information to support various mission requirements.
AeroVironment's UAS customer support and service team is at your service ready to mobilize quickly, 24 hours a day, to complete your mission protecting lives, property and critical infrastructure.
UAS Training
AeroVironment provides advanced training courses for a wide range of UAS applications and tactical situations. We train each student to develop a comprehensive understanding of the selected UAS solution, including safety, operational proficiency, aircraft maintenance and air space management. Our world-class instructors have trained thousands of military and law enforcement personnel how to fully exploit the capabilities of our UAS system to accomplish their mission objectives. At AeroVironment we know that it's more than just a small plane that leads to mission success.
UAS Logistics
AeroVironment's UAS Logistics serves to ensure our customers achieve mission success by providing quality products and the best-value logistics support anywhere in the world. Whether it's establishing a Forward Depot in Iraq to support large-scale UAS fleets or supporting an individual customers needs, for a single mission here at home, AeroVironment's commitment is the same.
AeroVironment's UAS logistics support solutions include:
- Planning
- Upgrades
- UAS Spares and Repair
- Training
- Technical Expertise
- Material Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Military and Commercial Logistics
UAS Advanced Development Center
AeroVironment's UAS Advanced Development Center has over 25 years of experience focused on the design and development of a broad variety of breakthrough, Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
AeroVironment is widely recognized as a world leader in both stratospheric High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAS and in small/micro UAS, with over two decades of experience in developing the state of the art in these classes of UAS. The company's UAS Advanced Development Center is the advanced design and development source for AeroVironment's small UAS (SUAS), as well as Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs), Packaged UAS, VTOL and hovering UAS, and the Global Observer HALE UAS and its predecessor solar electric UAS.
The Wasp Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) has built upon the technology amassed from the earlier DARPA Black Widow MAV program. With a wingspan of 41 cm and a weight of 275 grams, the Wasp is AeroVironment's smallest UAS. Wasp can be manually operated or programmed for GPS-based autonomous navigation.
To ensure system interoperability, Wasp uses the same advanced technology found in other AeroVironment's UAS, such as Raven RQ-11A and Puma, and is controllable through a common Ground Control Station.
HawkEye is designed to deliver critical payloads covertly to ground personnel through the use of standoff, high-altitude, air launched deployment that can be followed by a conventional landing approach recovery of the primary vehicle. This silent and stealthy expendable glider is designed to penentrate up to 80km fully autonomously, or to be remotely piloted all the way to its payload delivery point. HawkEye is a scale-able concept demonstrator program, which has sucessfuly demonstrated a payload delivery capacity of 25kg. Other larger capacity variants are currently being explored, and include optional propulsion systems to extend endurance and range.
The Switchblade® is designed to provide the warfighter with a back-packable, non-line-of-sight precision strike solution with minimal collateral effects. It can rapidly provide a powerful, but expendable miniature flying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) package on a beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) target within minutes. This miniature, remotely-piloted or autonomous platform can either glide or propel itself via quiet electric propulsion, providing real-time GPS coordinates and video for information gathering, targeting, or feature/object recognition. The vehicle's small size and quiet motor make it difficult to detect, recognize and track even at very close range. The Switchblade is fully scalable and can be launched from a variety of air and ground platforms.
Switchblade is operated from AeroVironment's battle proven ground control system (GCS) with a communications range of greater than 10 km. Our common GCS interfaces with AeroVironment air vehicles (except the Qube®) reducing the level of training required and decreasing the time and cost involved.
AeroVironment was contracted by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft that can quickly deliver or retrieve cargo. SkyTote is designed with a payload capacity of 50lb, a cruise endurance of 1.5 hours, and can travel at a speed of up to 200kts, can hover at altitudes up to 2,500 feet and cruise at 10,000 feet. This unique UAS is configured to utilize helicopter control in hover mode and conventional aircraft control while in forward flight.
PUMA delivers flexibility, endurance and a payload capability unmatched in its vehicle class. With a wingspan of 8.5 feet, this lightweight, hand-launched UAS provides aerial observation at line-of-sight ranges up to 10 kilometers. PUMA can be recovered in very tight areas using vertical descent AutoLand and is currently undergoing sea landing trials. PUMA is currently being manufactured by AeroVironment's UAS Systems.
Dragon Eye
Dragon Eye was developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for use by the US Marine Corps dismounted light troops to provide tactical reconnaissance and surveillance. As part of a full and open industry-wide competition, AV was selected to optimize the design for enhanced manufacturability and reliability. In November, 2003, following extensive field evaluations and competitive down-select by the customer, AV was awarded a 5-year, sole-supplier manufacturing contract for Dragon Eye.
The system operates autonomously, requires minimum training and captures either color, low-light black and white or infrared video. A bungee cord method is employed to provide rapid launch and ascent, and Dragon Eye is recovered by a conventional glide-slope approach landing. Dragon Eye is currently being manufactured by AV's UAS group, and is being used by the USMC for light infantry, dismounted, and urban warfare.
Raven RQ-11A
The Raven RQ-11A is a battle proven solution designed for rapid deployment and high mobility for both military and commercial applications. With a wingspan of 4.5 feet and a weight of 4.2 pounds, the hand-launched Raven provides aerial observation at line-of-sight ranges up to 10 kilometers.
The system can be flown manually or autonomously through set way-points with options of either a daylight or infrared camera, allowing both day and night operations. Over 3,000 Ravens have already been deployed to US Forces for use in light infantry Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) and dismounted warfare.
Pointer FQM-151A
Originally developed for the U.S. Marine Corps in 1986, Pointer is a man-portable system that provides the capability for troops to see over the next hill with a hand-launched UAV. The System provides color or IR video, from either front or side views, operates using GPS-based AutoNavigation or man-in-the-loop control, and can be recovered in very tight areas using a unique vertical descent AutoLand. Pointer is acknowledged as a standard of measure for small UAV system performance and capability with US Forces. Since its initial deployment, Pointer has been used for light infantry Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) and dismounted warfare and Special Operations.
Pathfinder Plus
In 1998, Pathfinder was upgraded to become the Pathfinder Plus, with a new center wing panel, which increased the wingspan to 121 feet. New high-efficiency solar cells were fitted and many other improvements made, before making a maiden flight in June. On August 6, 1998, Pathfinder Plus met its intended goal by flying to a record 80,201 feet from PMRF Barking Sands, Kauai, higher than any other previous propeller-driven aircraft. The Pathfinder Plus was flown on telecommunication missions in June 2002, and again for aerial surveillance of coffee crops in September.
Later in 2002, Pathfinder Plus performed the world's first telecom demonstrations from 65,000 feet (20km), including high-definition television (HDTV) broadcasts, third-generation (3G) mobile voice, video, and data relays using an off-the-shelf mobile handset, and high speed internet connection. Most recently, Pathfinder Plus was flown at Edwards AFB to perform atmospheric turbulence measurements in August and September 2005, before being retired from flight service.
The Hornet made what is believed to be the world's first successful flight, on March 21, 2003, of a Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) powered entirely by a hydrogen fuel cell. The Hornet was developed under a DARPA sponsored research contract to explore innovative propulsion and structural concepts for unmanned vehicles of this type. The innovative concepts developed for Hornet may enable multi-hour flight of MAV sized vehicles in the future.
Benefiting from lessons of the Centurion HALE UAS, the wingspan was extended to 247 feet, and the aircraft was renamed the Helios prototype. Initial low altitude flight testing was completed successfully under battery power at Edwards Air Force Base in 1999. Helios was then equipped with high-efficiency photovoltaic solar cells and performed high-altitude flight testing in the summer of 2001 at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Kauai, Hawaii.
On August 13, 2001, during its second high-altitude flight, Helios reached 96,863 feet, shattering the existing world altitude record for sustained level flight for both propeller and jet-powered aircraft (the SR-71A spy plane was the previous record holder, having flown to 85,068 feet in July 1976).
This historic milestone, reaching well above the planned operational altitude of 65,000 feet, further demonstrated the viability of AeroVironment's concept for stratospheric platform technology in support of government and commercial applications. The Helios prototype was the precursor to the Global Observer Stratospheric Persistent UAS.
The Kestrel Organic Air Vehicle (OAV), developed for Honeywell and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is a fully autonomous vertical take-off and landing UAV using a lift augmented ducted propulsion system. AeroVironment developed two prototype systems, each weighing less than 12 pounds, that demonstrated fully autonomous take-off, waypoint navigation, and landing. The prototype was also the first ducted fan system of its type to demonstrate transition from hover to high-speed, forward flight, and back to hover. The prototype systems included color EO and IR payloads, and was developed, fabricated, and demonstrated in just nine months, accomplishing approximately 250 flights.
Black Widow
Black Widow was the world's first operating MAV System. Weighing in at only three ounces and measuring six inches across, the Black Widow was developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). At the conclusion of this work, Black Widow was able to demonstrate automatic launch from a protective carrying cassette, followed by a flight of over 30 minutes, with a range of 1.8 km at altitudes up to 800 ft.
The payload comprised a color video camera and downlink and included other stability augmentation and flight data sensors. In recognition of this work DARPA presented AeroVironment with its prestigious Award for Outstanding Performance by a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Contractor, in June 1999. The Black Widow team also accepted the 1999 Shephard's Press, Unmanned Vehicles Magazine Readership Design Award in Paris, France.
Larger and more robust than the Pathfinder predecessors, Centurion incorporated many of the enabling technologies for an updated HALE UAV, able to perform atmospheric satellite missions. A quarter scale model was used to verify design predictions before advancing to fabrication of the full-scale UAV. Designed to be able to carry up to 600 pounds of payloads to approximately 80,000 feet, the 206 feet span Centurion was prepared as a test vehicle for a series of low altitude tests at NASA Dryden in the fall of 1998. Energy storage was limited to battery power and no solar array was yet fitted at this stage of development.
Inspired by the possibilities of their earlier manned solar-powered aircraft, AV first began developing a solar-powered HALE UAV in 1981 to provide a continuous high altitude platform. After making 9 successful test flights, the 99 ft wingspan Pathfinder was mothballed for a decade because of technology limits in the propulsion system at that time.
The Pathfinder aircraft was then adopted by NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) program in 1994, to assist in the development of research platforms for the Stratosphere. Pathfinder flew to 50,567 feet at Edwards September 12, 1995, its first trip to the stratosphere. From there, it was improved and taken to the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Kauai, Hawaii for test flights in 1997, where it flew to 71,504 feet on July 7, before performing a series of science missions over the Hawaiian Islands.
Quetzalcoatlus Northropi
The Quetzalcoatlus northropi replica, named simply QN, is half-scale wing-flapping flying machine. With a wingspan of 18 feet and weighing 40 lbs when completed, it was the largest known flying ornithopter. The QN replica incorporates a custom-built flight control system/autopilot which processes pilot commands and sensor inputs, implements several feedback loops, and delivers command signals to the various servo-actuators. Now on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, the QN has a high degree of fidelity in its external cosmetics, which are intended to closely match the features of the original animal of 140 million years ago.
The program was sponsored by Johnson Wax, and many QN flight sequences were filmed and feature in the IMAX motion picture, "On the Wing," which depicts the evolution of natural flight in relation to the development of civilization's flying machines.
Digital Data Link
SUAS DDL™ is small size, lightweight, and low power bi-directional, digital, wireless video link. Compliant with the Small Unmanned Airborne Systems Digital Data Link (SUAS DDL) waveform, it can also be used to enable enhanced command and control of small UAS. DDL is IP-based to enable maximum flexibility and interoperability between small airborne and ground systems with limited power availability, and bandwidth to maximize the number of systems that can operate within an area.
Fuel Cell Puma
The Fuel Cell Puma is a joint effort between AV, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) engineers, Protonex Technology (PTX) Corporation, and Millennium Cell (MCEL) for the development of advanced energy storage and propulsion technologies for unmanned aircraft. The hand-launched Puma weighs 14 lbs, including its onboard fuel cell system and single onboard camera. The hybridized proton exchange membrane fuel cell employs a lithium ion battery to provide peak power during takeoff and dash maneuvers; the fuel cell recharges the battery and provides continuous steady-state power for the plane and payload during cruise flight.
Puma achieved a five-hour flight in May 2007, a seven-hour flight in July 2007, and the recent nine-hour flight.
Nano Air Vehicle
AV is developing the Nano Air Vehicle (NAV) under a DARPA sponsored research contract to develop a new class of air vehicle systems capable of indoor and outdoor operation. Employing biological mimicry at an extremely small scale, this unconventional aircraft could someday provide new reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities in urban environments.
Universal Solar Pump Controller (USPC)
AV developed the Universal Solar Pump Controller (USPC) to facilitate access to water in remote areas such as ranches and villages, particularly in developing nations, where electrical infrastructure is not available. This versatile, high-performance, variable speed motor controller is used to convert solar energy to electricity to power pumping devices.
With a power conversion efficiency of 97% peak-power tracking, the USPC is most commonly used for water pumps, but has also been used for other solar motor driven applications, including oil, water purification (reverse osmosis), refrigeration/freezers, and other pumping applications.
AeroVironment's USPC-2000 is a versatile, high-performance variable speed motor controller that is used for various solar powered pumping applications. The USPC-2000 delivers up to 2000 watts directly from photovoltaic modules, including single or poly-crystalline silicon and thin-film arrays. A power conversion efficiency of 97% peak-power tracking and variable speed operations maximizes your system performance to get the most water to your installation.
The largest demand for these products comes from ranchers and villages in remote areas in need of water. The inverter has also been used for other solar motor driven applications, including refrigeration/freezers, blowers, driving ice making machines and grain mills, and many other pumping applications (reverse osmosis, surface pumping, oil, etc.).
AeroVironment's USPC-5000 is a versatile, high-performance variable speed motor controller that is used for various solar powered pumping applications. The USPC-5000 delivers up to 5000 watts directly from photovoltaic modules, including single or poly-crystalline silicon and thin-film arrays. A power conversion efficiency of 97% peak-power tracking and variable speed operations maximizes your system performance to get the most water to your installation.
The largest demand for these products comes from ranchers and villages in remote areas in need of water. The inverter has also been used for other solar motor driven applications, including refrigeration/freezers, blowers, driving ice making machines and grain mills, and many other pumping applications (reverse osmosis, surface pumping, oil, etc.).
Paving the Electric Vehicle Highway
As the leading supplier of fast charge systems for industrial electric vehicles (EVs), AV has applied its unmatched battery and charge system expertise to improve electric and hybrid electric vehicle productivity and performance. AV's PosiCharge™ EV fast charge systems enable thousands of industrial and specialty EVs in mission-critical roles to perform more work and use less energy than with yesterday's charging technologies. This same technology will help create the infrastructure to make the next generation of passenger and utility EVs a reality.
The technology behind PosiCharge grew out of AV's development of the modern electric car for General Motors. Introduced in 1989, the GM Impact was a breakthrough in EV design and systems integration. When tasked with finding a way to safely increase the useful range of electric battery packs, AV's team of engineers, scientists and battery applications experts developed PosiCharge. By combining high-current charging algorithms with intelligent thermal management, PosiCharge systems significantly reduce the amount of time required to charge electric vehicle battery packs while maximizing their range, performance and lifespan.
Today PosiCharge delivers productivity, energy efficiency and CO2 reduction benefits to a broad range of industrial and commercial vehicles, including forklifts, airport ground support vehicles, short-haul trucks, and automated guided vehicles. AV is also combining forces with a number of EV designers, manufacturers, and infrastructure partners to enable the passenger and fleet EVs of tomorrow. Regarded globally for its EV and battery expertise, AV continues to pave the way for a cleaner future in transportation.
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Industrial EV Charging
The PosiCharge Advantage
Manufacturing plants and distribution centers have long relied on battery changing to keep their forklifts, reach trucks, and pallet jacks running throughout the work day. Lost productivity at the battery room, inefficient use of warehousing and production space, safety hazards, and environmental shortcomings make distributed in-vehicle smart charging a better choice.
The PosiCharge line features a broad range of power capabilities (5kW to 36kW) at current outputs up to 600ADC to offer our material-handling customers a value at every duty cycle, no matter how heavy or light. PosiCharge systems also feature intelligent charge controls that recognize a battery's charge profile, temperature, and state of health to deliver a custom, optimized charge right on the spot, every time.
The Total Solution: Chargers and Batteries
The total PosiCharge solution ensures our customers' vehicles remain charged and ready for service, with the best in fast charge and industrial battery technology.
To find out more about our charger packages, please click on the 'Request More Information' button to the right.
Passenger & Fleet EV Charging
Recent advances in battery technologies have added momentum to the move toward electric vehicles (EVs). Electric-powered vehicles are increasingly being viewed as an attractive and practical alternative to the high fuel prices, dependence on foreign energy supplies, and environmental damage wrought by the use of fossil fuels.
AV is helping to pave the road for reduced dependence on gasoline powered vehicles by introducing convenient, reliable and safe charging options that are designed for maximum convenience and to eliminate concerns about EV driving range. Drivers will be able to use electric vehicles without changing their day-to-day driving or refueling habits: from home charging to "pay at the pump" fast charging in as little as 10 minutes. With its new, universal EV charging adapter, AV seeks to ensure safe and reliable charging for all EVs. Scheduled for commercial rollout in 2010, the EV fast charge system is a powerful tool that can help enable the broader adoption of EVs in two main categories:
Passenger Electric Vehicles - a network of EV fast charge systems would ensure that EV drivers have access to a ten-minute battery charge when and where needed. PHEV drivers could be able to drive more miles in electric mode, thereby reducing emissions and consuming more electricity, which is typically less expensive than gasoline or diesel.
Fleet Electric Vehicles - fleet EVs could come in multiple vehicle types and duty cycles, from inner-city taxis and buses to medium range delivery vans and utility repair vehicles. A few EV fast charge systems installed in a maintenance yard or a family of systems in the city could help fleet operators maintain throughput while reducing emissions and fuel expenses.
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The Standard for Advanced Energy Testing
Since AeroVironment's development of the GM Impact, prototype for the first modern electric car, AeroVironment has supplied Power Cycling and Test Systems (formerly named Electric Vehicle Test Systems) to the world's leading automotive, battery and fuel cell companies, utilities, universities, defense contractors, and government agencies. These customers recognize the high-current/high power capability, comprehensive operating envelope, and reliability of solutions such as our AV-900 and ABC-150 systems. br>
Visit our Power Cycling and Test Systems Product Selector to view the entire product line.
With a full power range (+/-5kW to +/-800kW) of bi-directional DC equipment, AeroVironment Power Cycling and Test Systems can handle virtually any DC supply or load requirement. In addition, AeroVironment systems can emulate any drivetrain component, enabling the testing of individual components or partial drivetrains accurately and realistically, allowing true hardware-in-the-loop testing.
AeroVironment Power Cycling and Test Systems are used for a wide range of testing, charging and development activities associated with advanced batteries, fuel cells, ultra capacitors, hybrid energy systems, motors, generators, uninterruptible power systems, and powertrain components. View our Application Guide to find the right solution for you.
At AeroViroment, we are committed to developing advanced power, transportation, and energy storage solutions for a brighter tomorrow, a goal we have worked towards for over 20 years. To find out how AeroVironment can enable your success as a clean technology provider, contact us today.
The AV-900/900CE/900EX are AeroVironment's heavy-duty test solutions. These systems are ideal for testing large hybrids, such as buses, trucks and military vehicles. With its high power capability, the AV-900 has been used to develop fuel cell buses and hybrid locomotives. The AV-900/900CE/900EX offers power up to 250kW, with a voltage range of 8 to 900VDC and a current range of ±1000ADC. And the new AV-900 EX can be controlled in parallel up to 1MW.
The AV-900 EX is the industry standard for high performance testing needs. AV-900 EX new digital control provides you with increased performance and accuracy. The bi-directional system can operate at ±250kW, or combined, it can scale to ±1MW.
The CE mark is a mandatory European marking for certain product groups to indicate conformity with the essential health and safety requirements set out in European Directives.
The ABC-1000 is AV's high current cycling solution. This system is ideal for testing applications that require high current and low voltage. The ABC-1000 offers power up to 125kW, with a voltage range of 8 to 420VDC and a current range of ±1000ADC. This system has been used to test super capacitors and ultra capacitors, as well as high current drivetrains and components.
AeroVironment's ABC-600/600CE is a high voltage cycling station that was originally developed to meet specific customer requirements. This system is ideal for testing hybrid vehicles and high voltage drivetrains, motors and energy storage devices. The ABC-600 offers power up to 150kW, with a voltage range of 8 to 600VDC and a current range of ±600ADC.
The CE mark is a mandatory European marking for certain product groups to indicate conformity with the essential health and safety requirements set out in European Directives. In an effort to better serve our European customers, AeroVironment has gone through the CE certification process and has received the CE mark on selected versions of our test equipment.
The ABC-150 is AeroVironment's original power processing system. It was originally developed to test the battery system of the GM Impact. The ABC-150 offers power up to 125kW, with a voltage range of 8 to 445VDC and a current range of ±530ADC. AV's ABC-150 is now used around the world by automotive manufacturers, component suppliers, universities, battery and fuel cell developers and others to test and simulate products in a real-time environment.
AeroVironment's ABC-170/170CE power processing system is used to meet fuel cell testing and sinking power needs. Originally developed for fuel cell testing applications and for systems that require additional sinking power, AeroVironment's customers have also used this versatile machine to cycle hybrids and batteries. The ABC-170 offers power from +125kW to - 170kW, with a voltage range of 8 to 445 VDC and a current range of +530ADC to - 640ADC.
The CE mark is a mandatory European marking for certain product groups to indicate conformity with the essential health and safety requirements set out in European Directives. In an effort to better serve our European customers, AeroVironment has gone through the CE certification process and has received the CE mark on selected versions of our test equipment.
AeroVironment's MT-30 is ideal for testing smaller applications, such as fuel cell stacks, battery modules, partial modules and smaller components. This system provides an economical solution to many of our customer's development needs, and only uses a small footprint of laboratory space. The MT-30 offers power up to 30kW, with a voltage range of 5 to 120VDC and a current range of ±500ADC.
Build to order
AV's DLS-15 is an AC source and load simulator that is capable of 15kVA power, with operation in 50, 60 & 400Hz and voltage up to 480 Volts RMS. The DLS-15 simulates typical linear and non-linear AC household and commercial loads, and can be used as an anti-island test fixture.
Build to order
AV's DLS-50 is an AC source and load simulator that is capable of 50kVA power, with operation in 50, 60 & 400Hz and voltage up to 480 Volts RMS. The DLS-50 simulates typical linear and non-linear AC household and commercial loads, and can be used as an anti-island test fixture.
The DLS-250 is the newest addition to AV's AC line of Power Processing Systems and meets our customers' high power requirements. This system is capable of 250kVA power, with operation in 50, 60 and 400Hz. Like AV's other AC systems, the DLS-250 can simulate typical linear and non-linear AC household and commercial loads and can also be used as an anti-island test fixture.
Custom Engineering Solutions that can help you win!
Efficient electric energy technology is the foundation upon which most of AeroVironment's key developments have been built since 1971. In human powered aircraft, unmanned aircraft, solar, electric and hybrid vehicles, high efficiency motors and fast charge products, AeroVironment's innovative electric energy technologies enable new levels of performance and efficiency, resulting in pioneering businesses and solutions to seemingly impossible project objectives. Customers across multiple industries, in the public and private sector have relied on AeroVironment to provide these solutions in a timely and cost effective manner.
Concentrating on clean transportation and clean energy, AeroVironment's engineering services integrates best-in-breed technologies to develop high-value solutions. We offer a unique set of capabilities in electric motors, energy storage, power electronics, thermal management and fuel cell systems, controls, and systems engineering. These capabilities uniquely enable us to increase energy efficiency, performance, safety and cost effectiveness dramatically, helping customers to meet or exceed aggressive design and performance objectives.
Let us help your team win with our efficient energy solutions!
MVS Fast Charging System
AeroVironment's Energy Technology Center developed a fast charge system that charges both high voltage and low voltage electric vehicles simultaneously. The system is able to rapidly charge up to 10 vehicles, ranging from Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (48V), to Ground Support Equipment (80V), to personnel vans and buses (400V), at the same time. This approach allows for maximum use of the charger during normal operation, as compared to other charging systems where only a fraction of the charger's rated power is used during equalization processes. This approach also minimizes infrastructure requirements for a dedicated charging system for each voltage level. The system consists of one PowerServer supplying a DC source to the 5 PowerStations that interface with the vehicles. Each PowerStation can interface with 2 vehicles and provide individual monitoring and control. The entire system is designed to satisfy NEMA 3X rating and is suitable for outdoor use. Proprietary charging algorithms enable the system to charge different batteries at the same time and in a safe manner.
Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Integrated Battery Pack Program
Boeing contracted AeroVironment to design a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable battery system and build a prototype for their portion of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) Program. Boeing, Oceaneering and Fugro partnered to develop the UUV, which is designed to map the ocean bottom at depths up to 10,000 feet and required a high power density battery system for economical operation. AeroVironment's battery system consists of two rechargeable battery packs with integrated battery management and fast charging systems. Severe space constraints challenged AeroVironment to deliver a highly compact and efficient solution. The entire battery system was designed to fit into a 32-inch diameter by 44-inch long space and to weigh less than 2,100 pounds. The final design weight was 1,922 pounds.
Joint Tactical Electric Vehicle
The hybrid Joint Tactical Electric Vehicle (JTEV), designed and built for the Marine Corps, demonstrates AeroVironment's ability to rapidly develop an advanced, fully integrated system. This stealthy, high mobility vehicle was a ground- up design requiring the development of traction motor inverters, drive train, an actively cooled battery package equipped with an advanced battery management system, an engine-driven primary propulsion generator with converter, and a system controller containing hybrid electric control algorithms, vehicle control and instrumentation. The JTEV was designed and fabricated in 12 months. The success of this project enabled the Marine Corps/DARPA to begin the Reconnaissance Surveillance Targeting-Vehicle (RST-V) program, for which AeroVironment was contracted to develop a preliminary design.
GM Impact Electric Car
AeroVironment provided systems engineering, powertrain, mechanical design, thermal control and fabrication for the world's first practical electric car, the GM Impact. With an urban driving range of more than 100 miles and a top speed of 110 mph, the Impact accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 8.0 seconds with a total output of 110 hp. Its drag coefficient of 0.19 is roughly half that of current production automobiles. GM launched production and marketing of the Impact under the name EV-1.
AeroVironment also designed and constructed the two AC induction motors for the Impact; one for each front wheel. The motors, which feature an integral single speed planetary gear reduction, operate at efficiencies of 90 to 95 percent over most operating speeds and torques encountered in an automobile. At the Impact's governor-limited top speed of 110 mph, the motor turns at 11,900 rpm. The motor and electronics system of the Impact also provide regenerative braking to improve urban driving cycle range.
Unmanned Sea Surface Vehicle Sensor Power Source
AeroVironment, under contract to Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD), investigated the feasibility of using a dedicated diesel engine in a hybrid configuration with an ultracapacitor or battery pack to provide payload power for ten-day missions for Unmanned Sea Surface Vehicles (USSVs). USSVs require a low signature power source for on-station operation of sensor payloads. The power source must have a high energy density, be reliable, require low maintenance, and be able to withstand salt spray and heavy seas for ten-day missions. In addition, the payload duty cycle can require 25 kW peak loads for ten seconds out of every minute, with constant loads of one kilowatt. AV also looked at using a low temperature PEM fuel cell operating on pure hydrogen and air to provide the continuous base power in a fuel cell hybrid configuration for missions requiring low signatures.
AeroVironment, working with General Motors and GM's Hughes Electronics, conceived, designed and built the breakthrough solar powered Sunraycer to compete in the inaugural 1,950 mile World Solar Challenge road race across Australia in November 1987. Starting from scratch, the team developed a vehicle that incorporated innovative materials and technologies to enable it to generate 1,500 watts of electricity at full sunlight, and travel at up to 65 miles per hour. The Sunraycer's average speed during the race was over 40 miles per hour, allowing it to complete the course in 5.2 days, a full 2 days ahead of the second place finisher.
In 1988 the Sunraycer set a new speed record for solar powered land vehicles by exceeding 75 miles per hour. The success of the Sunraycer led to AeroVironment's subsequent development of the GM Impact electric car, the prototype for GM's EV-1. This program, in turn, resulted in the development of AeroVironment's Power Processing Products, as well as its PosiCharge fast charge systems.
For more information on the Sunraycer, please click here.
Fuel Cell DC-DC Converter
AeroVironment developed and then validated this 60kW DC-DC converter in a hybrid fuel cell vehicle. Its primary function was to condition the fuel cell output to bridge the voltage difference between the fuel cell and the battery pack. Advanced buck-boost topology with high-frequency switching and use of direct lamination cooling technology resulted in high efficiency and high power density. This converter was designed with the following specifications: Specific power of 3.8kW/kg, Power density of 2.8 kW/l, High efficiency of 95%, High Quality DC output (very low ripple).
Fuel Cell Mineloader
The objectives of this project included developing a zero-emissions fuel cell equivalent to a Caterpillar-Elphinstone R1300 loader, as well as a mine-safe refueling system based on electrolysis of water. The system would then be evaluated for safety and productivity in an underground mine in Nevada. AeroVironment served as energy system integrator for the U.S. Department of Energy Fuel Cell Mineloader project. This included providing fuel cell balance of plant, battery pack and battery management design, hybrid control system and communication between battery pack and fuel cell system, power electronics (to tie in fuel cell, battery pack and motor), fueling from fuel storage, and interface with motor controller and other system components.
Fuel Cell System for Solar-Powered Airplane
In 1998 AeroVironment began working under contract to NASA to produce a fuel cell system for Helios, the 247-foot wingspan solar-powered airplane. The proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system would enable Helios to fly for six months continuously. As a result of the NASA work, AeroVironment acquired expertise designing the balance-of-plant, testing a large variety of fuel cell stacks, and performing system integration.
AeroVironment developed a state-of-the-art fuel cell monitoring system that includes proprietary software and incorporates proprietary Fuel Cell SmartGuards and BSC system. Fuel Cell SmartGuard is a 20-channel module that, when coupled with BSC, monitors voltage and temperature of each cell. Multiple SmartGuard modules are used to monitor large stacks. The energy storage system for Helios uses the sun to power a PEM electrolyzer that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen and oxygen gases are stored in AeroVironment designed, lightweight high-pressure tanks. At night, the PEM fuel cell combines the hydrogen and oxygen to provide power for the aircraft propulsion, avionics and payloads.
Exoskeleton Fuel Cell
AeroVironment, as part of a design team led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), provided the power generation and management system for Objective Force Warrior performance augmentation - an exoskeleton system. AeroVironment developed a battery pack in hybrid with a fuel cell-based electric power source to meet the exoskeleton's energy needs. The basic architecture of the system includes a proton exchange membrane, hydrogen-air fuel cell as the base power requirement; a battery transient response module to supply system to address situations when the power requirements exceed that power deliverable by the fuel cell and in cases where the fuel cell response lags the load; and a safe method to generate hydrogen to the fuel cell. ORNL awarded AeroVironment the Small Business of the Year award for its part in the program.
Direct Lamination Cooling for Transformers, Inductors, & Motors
AeroVironment developed innovative cooling technologies to increase motor efficiency and decrease motor mass, volume, and cost. A major limiting factor in the design and performance of electric motors and other devices, such as inductors and transformers, is the ability to transfer heat from the device. The steel lamination incorporated into motors generate heat caused by magnetic losses and by conduction from the copper current-carrying windings embedded in the magnetic device. Conventional technology requires that these magnetic elements transfer their heat through conduction to a heat sink or a special coldplate, resulting in added material and cost. AV developed an alternative cooling approach where cooling fluid passes directly through the lamination assembly, thereby eliminating the heat sink or coldplate.
Ironless Core Motor
AeroVironment developed its Ironless Motor technology to support Lockheed Martin's High Altitude Airship program, which required highly efficient and light electric motors to move and keep the airship on station at high altitudes. Employing innovative new winding strategies and tools, AeroVironment designed the Ironless Motor to take full advantage of new and stronger magnetic materials, such as high temperature Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeBr), as they come into existence. Since iron or amorphous-based machines will suffer from higher losses and more core saturation at these high flux levels, only an ironless machine can take full advantage of such strong magnets. The other major advantage of the ironless machine is its superb part load efficiency of up to 98%. AeroVironment's Ironless Motor technology may offer a unique value proposition to numerous applications and industries including environmental management, marine propulsion and micro motors.
Marine Energy Systems
AeroVironment has developed an innovative device for harnessing the ocean's energy. Anchored to the sea floor and floating beneath the surface, its turbine generates clean energy as the float moves horizontally through the water, responding to pressure changes from passing waves. Unobtrusive, silent and reliable, it is an attractive alternative to other ocean-energy devices.
AeroVironment's trailer-mounted Deployable Renewable Energy Alternative Module (DREAM) is designed to provide off-grid electric power from multiple sources. DREAM incorporates three 1-kilowatt wind turbines, a battery pack yielding 3 kilowatts per hour, a diesel generator, and 63 solar cells. With all systems in operation, DREAM can provide 3 kilowatts of continuous power for 15 days.
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Solar Challenger
The Solar Challenger long-held the World's record for the highest, farthest, and longest solar-powered manned flight. On July 7, 1981, the Solar Challenger completed the 163 mile trek from Corneille-en-Verin Airport, north of Paris, France to Manston Royal Air Force Base in Manston, United Kingdom, staying aloft 5 hours and 23 minutes, with pilot Stephen Ptacek at the controls. Built as a demonstrator for solar power and advanced composite structural materials. The complete airframe including the solar propulsion system weighed only 205 pounds, and was designed for a 9-g ultimate load factor.
Our Culture
Family-style innovation.
Innovative collaborators thrive at AeroVironment. As an employee, you'll help bring products from concept to testing to production. You'll understand how your work fits into the whole. You'll feel good about coming to work.
Although our elegant solutions help customers do more with less, we believe in helping employees do more with more. More open communication. More teamwork. More challenges.
Bring us your enthusiasm. We'll bring you the support you need to do the best work of your life.
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Use and access to this website maintained by or on behalf of AeroVironment, Inc. (the 'Site') is subject to all the following terms and conditions ('Terms and Conditions') and all applicable laws. By using, accessing, browsing or viewing this Site, and/or any features of this Site, the user of the Site (User or You) accepts, without limitation or qualification, all of the Terms and Conditions set forth herein. AeroVironment, Inc. ('AV') reserves the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time without prior notice and as such recommends that the User reads the Terms and Conditions carefully and completely each time this Site is visited or used. If a User of this Site is unwilling or unable to be fully bound by these Terms and Conditions, the User should not access or use the Site.
1. Copyrights
Unless otherwise explicitly stated, all material including text, images, graphics, drawings, audio recordings, photos and videos (collectively 'Material') contained in or displayed on this Site is copyrighted and the Material and the copyrights thereto are either the property of, licensed by, or used with the permission of, AV and/or one or more of its affiliated or associated companies or other third party entities with which AV has a contractual business relationship (collectively 'Associated Entity'). No Material on this Site may be reproduced, copied, published, modified, posted, reposted, performed or distributed in any way without the express written permission of either AV or, for Material not owned or licensed by AV, the particular Associated Entity owning or licensing such Material.
The User of this Site may use and browse this Site and the Materials owned by AV (AV Materials) for his/her own personal information, education, understanding and knowledge, provided all such use is for non-commercial and personal purposes. No permission is given nor are any rights granted to the AV Materials for any commercial purposes. Unauthorized use, reproduction, copying, posting, reposting, publishing, modification, display, performance and/or distribution of the AV Materials is a violation of AV's copyrights. The use of any Material owned by an Associated Entity (Associated Entity Material) for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited and may be a violation of that entity's copyright(s). Except for any limited permission as expressly stated and provided herein, nothing contained or stated herein, or within the Site shall be construed, interpreted or read as granting any right or license to anyone to, and/or under, any patent, trademark, copyright, publicity right or other intellectual property right of AV and/or any Associated Entity.
The User of this Site agrees not to remove, edit or otherwise alter any copyright or other proprietary rights notice contained in or on the Site.
In the event that any material contained on this Site is alleged to infringe a third-party copyright, notification of such allegation should be made directly to AV in accordance with the procedure set forth below. AV will process any notices of alleged infringement and take appropriate action as required by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), as well as by all applicable intellectual property laws. As set forth by the DMCA, any notice of alleged copyright infringement is to be sent to AV's agent:
Corporate Counsel
AeroVironment, Inc.
900 Innovators Way
Simi Valley, California 93065
According to 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), to be effective a notification of claimed infringement must be a written communication provided to the above agent that
includes substantially the following:
(i) A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
(ii) Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site.
(iii) Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to locate the material.
(iv) Information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to contact the complaining party, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an electronic mail address at which the complaining party may be contacted.
(v) A statement that the complaining party has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
(vi) A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
2. Trademarks
To the extent that Site contains, shows or otherwise presents the trademarks, trade dress, trade names, logos, symbols and/or service marks (collectively 'Trademarks') of AV, an Associated Entity, and/or others, whether such Trademarks are registered or unregistered, nothing within this Site or these Terms and Conditions shall be construed, interpreted or read as granting any right or license to anyone under, or to, any such Trademarks. Unauthorized use of the Trademarks by the User of this Site or any third party is strictly prohibited. AV shall enforce all of its intellectual property rights, including but not limited to rights in its Trademarks, to the fullest extent permitted by law. AV shall, to the fullest extent available under the law, seek civil and criminal actions against anyone infringing, misusing, copying and/or misappropriating AV's Trademarks.
AeroVironment, AV, the AV logo, EV Solutions, PosiCharge, PosiNet, Architectual Wind, Global Observer, GO, Raven, Switchblade, Puma, Wasp, DDL and IWitness, are all trademarks of AeroVironment, Inc . Any and all third party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
The User of this Site agrees not to remove, edit or otherwise alter any trademark, service mark or other proprietary rights notice contained in or on the Site.
3. Site Use and Content
This Site is not intended for use by, anyone under the age of 13. The User of this site hereby represents and warrants that he or she is 18 years of age or older. If the User is not at least 13 years of age, the User must not access or use this Site.
AV, and/or any Associated Entity, separately or collectively, do not warrant or represent in any way that the use of the Site and/or the Materials will not infringe any rights of any third party, and do not warrant or represent in any way the accuracy or correctness of any information provided by, or contained on, the Site. AV, and/or any Associated Entity, separately or collectively, assumes no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content, or information presented, in the Site or the Materials. The User of this Site and the Materials assumes and fully accepts all liability and risk for the use and browsing of this Site and/or the Materials. Neither AV, and/or any Associated Entity, separately or collectively, is in any manner liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages arising out of the User's use and/or browsing of this Site and/or the Materials.
The Site may contain information or data that is generated by third parties (such as by Site Users) separately and independent from AV or any Associated Entity (such as product reviews or ratings) (collectively 'Third Party Submitted Content'). While AV will make reasonable efforts to review and monitor the Third Party Submitted Content, however, the User agrees that AV and any Associated Entity are not in any manner responsible for any Third Party Submitted Content or for any injury, harm, liability, cause of action, including but not limited to libel, slander, defamation, fraud, and/or any other action based on or arising from any omission, error, misrepresentation, inaccuracy, misstatement, misdirection, obscenity, profanity, pornography, resulting from and/or related to any Third Party Submitted Content. AV and/or any Associated Entity make no endorsement, representation, guarantee and/or warranty as to the authenticity, accuracy, integrity, quality, completeness or correctness of any Third Party Submitted Content. The User of this Site uses all Third Party Submitted Content at his or her own risk.
All information and/or data, including but not limited to pricing, terms, conditions, schedules, descriptions, specifications, images, product and service information and the like, set forth on this Site are subject to change without prior notice. All sales, lease and service commitments for products and services by AV are subject to the written terms and conditions of the applicable sales, lease, service or other agreement.
This Site may contain information regarding products, services and/or promotions of AV, and/or its Associated Entities. All the specifications, descriptions and images related to such products, services and/or promotions are based on the relevant information available at the time of posting and may be subject to change without notice. Some products, services and/or promotions shown or described may include optional, limited availability, prototype, pre-production, custom, special order, under development, not commercially available or discontinued equipment or services, and production products, services and promotions may vary. AV and Associated Entities reserve the right to make changes at any time, without notice, to any and all information related to products, services, and/or promotions, and to the products, services, and/or promotions themselves, set forth on this Site. AV and Associated Entities reserve the right to introduce or discontinue at any time, without notice, any and all products, services, and/or promotions. Specifications, availability and delivery time of products, services and promotions may vary, including variations by geographic location and local requirements.
4. Off-Site and/or Linked Content
AV and/or any Associated Entity is/are not in any manner responsible for any content, material, images or information contained in, or set forth, displayed or otherwise presented on, any site, page, file, document, or the like that this Site links to (by hypertext links or other means), lists, references or directs the User to (collectively 'Off-Site Content'). AV and/or any Associated Entity is/are not in any manner responsible for any injury, harm, liability, cause of action, including but not limited to libel, slander, defamation, fraud, and/or any other action based on or arising from any omission, error, misrepresentation, inaccuracy, misstatement, misdirection, obscenity, profanity, pornography, resulting from and/or related to any Off-Site Content, and/or from the use or viewing of any site, page, file, document, or the like containing Off-Site Content. AV and/or any Associated Entity make no endorsement, representation, guarantee and/or warranty as to the authenticity, accuracy, integrity, quality, completeness or correctness of the Off-Site Content. The User of this Site uses all Off-Site Content at his or her own risk.
5. User Actions and Provided Materials
The User is prohibited from, and agrees not to, submit, send, post, provide, transmit, upload to, and/or display, present, perform on, this Site any materials that are in any manner inappropriate, obscene, lewd, offensive, threatening, unlawful, libelous, slanderous, defamatory, fraudulent, obscene, inflammatory, pornographic and/or profane. The User is prohibited from, and agrees not to, engage in any activity related to the use of this Site that constitutes, may constitute, results in, may result in, supports, aides or in any way encourages or facilitates any criminal offense, unlawful action and/or any civil cause of action. The User agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and defend AV and every Associated Entity and their respective directors, officers, board members, shareholders, managers, employees, contractors, agents and the like from any and all causes of action arising from any of the User's actions or inactions related to the User's use of this Site. AV and each Associated Entity assumes no responsibility or liability that may arise from any unlawful content of the User's submissions, postings, transmissions, uploads or the like, the entirety of any such liability rests solely and completely with the User.
While AV and its Associated Entities may solicit User responses to questions or requests set forth on this Site, as well as User comments or feedback on our products or services, please do not submit any ideas, concepts, know-how, inventions, methods, processes, techniques or unsolicited information or data. However, in the event that any submission is made, the User agrees that AV and/or any Associated Entity is/are free to use and fully disclose, in any manner and for any purpose whatsoever (including, but not limited to, advertisement, marketing, licensing, manufacturing, product and/or service development, and giving or selling to third parties), any and all ideas, concepts, know-how, inventions, information, data, methods, processes, descriptions, techniques, drawings, charts, images, video, audio, statements, testimonials, suggestions, communications, or the like, that the User submits, sends, posts, provides, transmits, uploads to, and/or displays, presents, performs on, this Site (collectively 'User Provided Material'). The User agrees to grant to AV and any and all Associated Entities a paid-up, royalty-free, world-wide, non-exclusive, perpetual license, with sub-license rights, to any and all intellectual property rights of the User Provided Material. Any and all User Provided Material will be non-confidential and AV and/or its Associated Entities shall not be liable for any disclosure thereof. User warrants that it has all right, power, permission and/or authority to grant the herein license(s) to the User Provided Material. The User agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and defend AV and every Associated Entity and their respective directors, officers, board members, shareholders, managers, employees, contractors, agents and the like from any and all causes of action arising from AV's or an Associated Entities' use of the User Provided Material. AV and each Associated Entity assumes no responsibility or liability that may arise from use of the User Provided Material.
The User agrees to provide AV and any Associated Entity with legitimate, accurate, correct, factual and complete information and/or data in response to any questions or requests set forth on this Site. The User agrees to request information from AV or any Associated Entity only for legitimate purposes and shall not be done for any purposes that are in any way inappropriate or unlawful.
The User agrees not to: (1) use any site search/retrieval application (or other such devices) to retrieve or index any portion of this Site; (2) collect any information about other Users (including usernames and/or email addresses) for any purpose; (3) create fake or automated user accounts; (4) send unsolicited communications (i.e., spam); (5) transmit or upload any virus, worm, Trojan horse, software bomb or other item designed to damage or degrade the Site, or any computer or system operating or related to the Site; (6) violate the security of or gain unauthorized access to the Site or any computer or system operating or related to the Site; and/or (7) impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large processing load on the Site.
Copyright © 2016, AeroVironment, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) is dedicated to protecting consumer privacy. This notice explains how AV collects, uses, and discloses information about you when you subscribe to our services and you visit our Websites.
Your use of this website, and/or receipt of AVs and/or EV Solutions products or services constitutes acceptance of this Policy.
This Policy explains our practices in the following areas:
1. The nature of the information we collect about you and the way such information is used.
2. The nature, frequency, and purpose of any disclosure of information that we may make, including the types of persons or entities to whom the disclosure may be made.
3. Your rights under the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. § 338(i).
If you have questions about this Policy or other matters, you may contact us 24 hours a day, any day of the year, by phone (626) 357-9983, email firstname.lastname@example.com or mail:
AeroVironment, Inc., Privacy Policy , 900 Innovators Way, Simi Valley, California 93065
I. Types of Information we collect and how we collect it
In discussing the types of information we collect from customers and visitors to our websites we use the term "Customer Information" as a broad, general term that refers to any information relating to you and your AeroVironment and/or EV Solutions products or service (EV Charging Products), including Account Information, Service & Performance Information, Commerce Information, and Website Information.
The following are specific types of Customer Information that we collect from customers and visitors to our websites:
"Account Information" means information about your AV account, including, but not limited to, your name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, credit card information, the model and serial number of your EV Charging Products (as applicable), and appointment scheduling information. We collect Account Information directly from you when you activate or change your account, or purchase products or services from us. We may combine information we obtain from third parties with Account Information we collect.
"Service & Performance Information" means information necessary for us to provide services related to your EV Charging Products, including site assessment, installation, warranty and non-warranty services, as well as data, including software files, with detailed information about the operation of your EV Charging Products, electric vehicle charging practices, and type of electric vehicle. Examples of Service & Performance Information include your product software version number, details regarding your homes configuration and electrical infrastructure, product information and information you provide to our customer service representatives and/or electrical contractors regarding the functioning of your electric vehicle or EV Charging Products. In addition, we may collect diagnostic logs and other performance information for one or more EV Charging Products for quality control, electrical contractor performance, product improvement and troubleshooting purposes, as well as to identify trends that may be useful to AV and its partners and affiliates in the electric vehicle, utility, power generation and charging industries. Service & Performance Information is generally linked to or associated with your Account Information.
"Commerce Information" means personally identifiable information about you that enables a commerce partner to fulfill your request to participate in a business transaction. From time to time, we may present on-screen offers or enable you to buy goods and services from us or third parties. We will only collect and send on your behalf information such as your name and address and your interest in a specific offer or transaction to the commerce partners that are sponsoring the promotion or transaction if you take advantage of such an offer or engage in a transaction. In addition to fulfilling your request, such commerce partner [or we?] may also use your Commerce Information to send you other information in which you might be interested, consistent with its own privacy policies.
"Web Site Information" means information collected and stored on our web servers when you become a registered user of, or visit, our EV Solutions commerce websites (EV Commerce Websites). If you are a customer or register on our EV Commerce Websites to access your AV account, we may collect information that you provide us (including your email address) and use it in accordance with this Privacy Policy. Whether or not you are an AV customer or register on our EV Commerce Website, we may collect information about visitors to our EV Commerce Websites as follows:
We use cookies to customize our EV Commerce Websites for returning visitors. These cookies remain on your computer and are automatically retrieved when you visit our EV Commerce Websites at a later time. These cookies contain only information concerning the type of customer and frequently visited pages. No other Customer Information is stored on cookies. If you are uncomfortable with cookies, you may disable them on your computer. Disabling cookies may affect user functionality. The design of the EV Commerce Websites allows access to most offerings with cookies disabled; however, visitors who have disabled cookie processing will not be able to use AVs personalized account management function.
Web Logs
AV also maintains standard web logs that record data about all visitors to our EV Commerce Websites. These logs may contain:
The Internet domain from which you access such Websites.
Your IP address (your computer is automatically assigned an IP address when you surf the Internet. Your IP address is either static or dynamic. A static IP address may be identifiable to you; a dynamic address is usually not identifiable to you).
The type of browser and operating system you use.
The date and time you visited this site.
The pages you viewed on the EV Commerce Websites.
The address of the website from which you linked.
AV uses web log and clickstream information to help us design our site, to identify popular site features and to make the site more useful for visitors. Web logs are recorded in sequential files, and we normally do not attempt to identify individuals from these logs. However, we may use web logs to identify persons attempting to break into, disrupt, or damage our Site. We may share web log information with law enforcement personnel if we believe evidence exists, or is likely to occur, of a violation of federal, state or local laws or regulations.
Links to other websites: When you visit our website, you may find opportunities to link to websites of third parties. When you click through to these third party websites, AVs Privacy Policy no longer applies. We recommend that you read the privacy policy for any third party websites.
II. Use of Customer Information
We use Customer Information to deliver our products and services, process your installation transaction and other installation and service-related requests and comments, and to understand your needs so that we may provide you with the most suitable products and services. For example, we may use your postal address, e-mail address or telephone number to:
Process and fulfill your installation order and notify you of your order status;
Provide customer support; and
Solicit your feedback about the products and services you received.
We may use Customer Information to resolve disputes and troubleshoot problems, as well as contact a customer regarding administrative matters or notices.
III. When we share Customer Information with third parties
We do not share your personally identifiable information with third parties, except as described below. Personally identifiable information that we collect may include: name, address, date of birth, e-mail address, telephone number, credit card information, and information about your individual interests in and use of various products, programs, and services. In the circumstances described below, we limit the information we provide to the information necessary to perform the function or provide the service for which it is shared. Third parties are not permitted to use the Customer Information which is provided by us for any purposes other than as authorized by us, and we take steps to require these third parties to maintain the confidentiality of the Customer Information and adhere to this Privacy Policy.
Third party services: We share Customer Information with third parties contracted to do business on our behalf (for example, local electrical contractors and service providers, bill processing, delivery, technical service and support, credit card processing services, website service providers and collection services). When you order products or services, including but not limited to product installation services, we will share Customer Information necessary for any associated third party to provide these services and ongoing related support.
Industry Affiliates: We may share Customer Information, including personally identifiable information, with other entities (and their affiliates) in the electric vehicle and charging infrastructure industry with whom we have a contractual relationship related to AVs electrical vehicle charging business, specifically including but not limited to, electric vehicle manufacturers and dealers, state and/or municipal energy agencies, and electric utilities and/or power companies. Information shared with these Industry Affiliates may be used only to support your successful use of AVs products and services, and such Industry Affiliates products and services.
Marketing: Unless you specifically opt-out, we may share Customer Information, including Service & Performance Information, with third parties other than Industry Affiliates, who offer products and services in which we think you might be interested. These third parties may use this Customer Information to market their products or services to you.
When you elect to participate in a special offer or engage in a transaction with AV or a third party advertiser or promoter through our EV Commerce Websites, we will collect and disclose your Commerce Information, on your behalf, to the party sponsoring or fulfilling the promotion. This information is disclosed to a third party only upon your affirmative response to an offer. In addition to fulfilling your request, that party may also use your Commerce Information to send you other information in which you might be interested consistent with its own privacy policies.
Legal Requirements & Professional Services: AV may share your Customer Information if it believes in good faith that such disclosure is: a) necessary to comply with a legal process, b) in response to legal claims, c) necessary to protect personal safety, property or other of your [or a third party] rights, our rights and/or the rights of our service providers, or d) as part of a sale or assignment of all or a part of our business. AV may also disclose Customer Information to any person performing audit, legal, operational or other similar services for AV. Whenever reasonably possible we will require any recipient of Customer Information for these purposes to agree in writing to hold the information in confidence, to use the information only for the permitted purpose, and to return or destroy the information when the services are completed.
We may share with third parties certain pieces of non-personally identifiable information and aggregated non-personally identifiable information, for example, the number of customers located in a certain geographic area or how many hours a day customers with a particular type of electric vehicle are using their EV Charging Products. Such information will not identify you individually.
IV. Opting Out of Marketing Communications
AV may periodically send you messages via e-mail, telephone or traditional postal mail about products and services that we think may be of interest to you. In addition, as provided above, AV may make Customer Information available to third parties for the purpose of marketing such products or services.
You can choose not to receive marketing messages promoting AV or third party products or services from us and third parties in the future by:
(1) clicking here to opt-out;
(2) e-mailing us at firstname.lastname@example.com (please put Opt-Out in the subject line;
(3) following the "unsubscribe" instructions located near the bottom of any e-mails received; or
(4) writing us at AeroVironment, Inc. Attn: Opt-Out, 900 Innovators Way, Simi Valley, CA 93065.
If you are a current Customer, please include your name, customer ID # and phone number in the body of your e-mail or letter.
Upon receipt of your opt-out request, AV will take the required actions within a reasonable period of time; however, we can not and do not guarantee that such removal will be effective immediate.
V. How long we keep Customer Information
We maintain Customer Information about you for as long as we provide EV Charging Products to you, and longer for related business activities.
VI. How we protect the security of Customer Information
We take reasonable steps to protect Customer Information by using security technologies and procedures that limit access to our databases. However, no system is completely secure or error-free. We do not, and cannot, guarantee the complete security of Customer Information.
VII. Online credit card transactions
We protect the security of credit card transactions on the Internet by using a secure, encrypted Web server. We maintain credit card information collected during transactions in a secure database for fraud prevention and accounting and billing purposes. Stored information from credit card transactions is not released to third parties except in response to a subpoena or court order.
VIII. A Special Note for Parents Concerning Privacy
This website is not directed to children and we do not encourage children to participate in providing us with any personally identifiable information. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under age 13, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe that we might have any information from a child under age 13, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com. We strongly recommend that children under age 13 use our services only under the approval and supervision of their parents or legal guardian(s).
We support the guidelines and regulatory requirements provided in the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA).
IX. Changes to this Privacy Policy
AV shares Customer Information in accordance with the Privacy Policy in effect at the time the information is collected. We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. If we make a significant change with regard to our collection or use of information about our customers, we will note on the main page of our Web sites that this Policy has been updated and may take additional reasonable steps to notify you about the new or revised Policy. Whenever possible, we will reasonably attempt to notify you in some way 30 days before the effective date of the change. To comment on or ask about this Policy, contact us by phone (626) 357-9983, email email@example.com or postal mail to: AV Privacy Policy, AeroVironment, Inc., 900 Innovators Way, Simi Valley, CA 93065.
© 2016 AeroVironment, Inc.
In 1990 the Broomstick vehicle concept was developed in response to a need for a long endurance aircraft with unique characteristics. It used a 50% thick airfoil in an unswept flying wing configuration with no dihedral and with all systems internal to the wing. The boundary layer control (BLC) needed by the thick section is integrated with a jet flap propulsion and aerodynamic control system. These are the first known flights of such an aircraft.
Bionic Bat
The Bionic Bat was developed in 1983 to explore new human-powered flight technologies and to compete in the speed competition developed by the Man-Powered-Aircraft-Group of the RAeS and Henry Kremer. The Bionic Bat won two of the Kremer World Speed prizes by completing the designated 1500-meter (0.93 mile) triangular speed course in less than three minutes. Unlike previous human-powered flight competitions, energy generated and stored by the pilot during the ten minutes immediately preceding the flight could be used to assist the pilot. The Bionic Bat utilized aerodynamic and structural technology previously developed for the Gossamer Condor, Albatross, Penguin and Solar Challenger aircraft.
The Flight Of The Gossamer Albatross
AeroVironment Celebrates the 36th Anniversary of the record-setting, prize-winning 1979 flight
On June 12, 1979, the Gossamer Albatross became the first fully human-powered aircraft to cross the English Channel. The 70-lb aircraft completed the 26-mile flight in 2 hours, 49 minutes, clinching the second prestigious Kremer Prize for Dr. Paul MacCready.
A follow-up to 1977's Kremer Prize winning Gossamer Condor (first sustained, controlled, human-powered flight), the Albatross came about after two years of human-powered flight experiments. The main differences between the two aircraft were a reduced wing area and shorter wing chord on the Albatross, along with the switch from an aluminum main structure to carbon fiber-reinforced plastics.
"The initial construction and load-testing of the Albatross components was particularly interesting, since carbon fiber was at that time a somewhat exotic material and there was very little practical knowledge of how to craft parts out of it," said Albatross pilot Bryan Allen. "There was a lot of camaraderie in the team, amusing stories of past experiences, and a fair amount of brainstorming about how to solve particular problems on the airplanes and come up with better and lighter and more-reliable solutions."
Albatross test-flights began in the summer of 1978. Early flights at Shafter airport near Bakersfield, CA, yielded positive results; however, flying near the ocean at Long Beach proved more challenging, with a series of malfunctions requiring repairs and improvements. Eventually, the Albatross became able to make 15-minute flights, twice the length of previous attempts. Following further improvements, including a new propeller design, Allen piloted the Albatross for a 13-mile, 69-minute flight over Harper Lake in April 1979. "The one-hour, nine-minute, three-second flight at Harper Lake was my favorite single flight," Allen said.
As a long-time long-distance cyclist, Allen was built for the kind of challenge presented by the Gossamer aircraft. In order to prepare for the Albatross's English Channel flight, Allen trained both on the road (40-80 miles per day) and using an ergometer (stationary) training bike. The ergometer training enabled Allen to quantify his performance and improvement.
The years of development and months of training came to a head very early on the morning of June 12, 1979. The media began to gather around Paul MacCready at around 2:30 a.m., where the Albatross was being assembled in the dark. Without hesitation, Paul calmly and slowly explained the progress of the preparations. According to Allen, "He said that shortly, the plane would take off and fly from England to France." There was no drama or uncertainty. Paul always had a fundamental grasp of what is possible and what is not.
Just before 6 a.m., with Allen pedaling at the rehearsed 75 rpm, the Albatross lifted off the make-shift runway at The Warrens near Folkestone, Kent, and headed out over the English Channel. Calm seas and lack of wind foretold a potentially worry-free flight, but soon after take-off, the trouble began. "I got a triple-whammy of failures," Allen said. First, the transmit button on the radio failed, leaving Allen unable to talk to control personnel in the chaser boats. He was still able to receive communications from them, however, and could communicate with them using hand and head motions.
Second, Allen's water supply ran out. Due to unexpected headwinds, the flight took 49 minutes longer than planned. Without adequate water later in the flight, Allen suffered leg cramps from dehydration. Finally, the airspeed instruments and acoustic altimeter failed when their batteries expired. Again, this was due to the flight taking longer than predicted. Without these instruments, Allen could not know his height above the water or his speed.
As the headwind increased, so did uncertainty among onlookers that the flight would be successful. With the far shore nowhere in sight and turbulence taking its toll, the trailing Zodiac pulled into position to hook onto the aircraft and abort the flight. When he increased the aircraft's altitude to allow the Zodiac to pull underneath the Albatross, Allen discovered the air was less turbulent higher up. As the Zodiac got closer to the plane, Bryan kept moving away. Bryan requested another five minutes, and then another five minutes, and then another five minutes. This went on for over an hour.
The surface wind calmed slightly and the Albatross continued toward Cap Gris-Nez, France. Persisting through equipment failures, exhaustion, and careful negotiation of the rocky French coastline, Allen landed the Albatross on the beach at Cap Gris-Nez. "There were so many unknowns on that flight that I could not be certain we'd make it, but I was certain I'd use every resource in trying," Allen said. Beyond the pouring of champagne and the Kremer prize, the flight of the Gossamer Albatross remains a story of ingenuity and heart, 30 years later.
When the Kremer prize was originally announced, it was assumed that 20 years would pass before it was won. Paul's optimism was what kept the project moving at such a momentous pace. He kept saying, "We'll win it next week." "The Condor and Albatross were dealing with fundamental physics, right at the edge of the possible. So it seemed to me they would be remembered and written about for a good long while" said Allen. He went on to say, "I am very pleased to see that finally some of the things about efficiency and quality of life that Dr. MacCready was talking about and advocating 30 years ago are making it into our societal discourse."
The Gossamer Albatross is currently on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. and the Gossamer Albatross II is on display at the The Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA. Gossamer Albatross images are courtesy of Donald Monroe.
AeroVironment, the company that Dr. Paul MacCready founded, remains committed to his philosophy of "doing more with much less," and today is the leader in unmanned aircraft systems and efficient energy systems.
The AV-800 is AV's heavy-duty test solution. This system is ideal for testing large hybrids, such as buses, trucks, construction equipment, airport ground support equipment, locomotives and military vehicles. With its high power capability, the AV-800 is a powerful tool to develop stationary devices such as grid connected batteries and fuel cell systems by simulating application specific load profiles. The AV-800 offers power up to 800kW, with a voltage range of 8 to 800VDC and a current range of ±1000ADC.
Architectural Wind™
AeroVironment's small, modular wind turbine solution is designed to provide an attractive, kinetic, clean energy generating solution that integrates easily into new and existing commercial buildings. Whereas solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems are typically located on top of roofs, out of sight, Architectural Wind™ provides a visible, compelling and architecturally enhancing statement of the building's commitment to renewable energy.
Unlike other small wind turbine designs, Architectural Wind™ combines the functional with the aesthetic to create the first modular and architecturally enhancing small wind turbine system. AeroVironment's patented design and innovative positioning method takes advantage of the natural acceleration in wind speed resulting from the building's aerodynamic properties. This accelerated wind speed can increase the turbines' electrical power generation by more than 50% compared to the power generation that would result from systems situated outside of the acceleration zone. The sleek and modular units also operate with less noise and vibration compared to conventional wind turbine designs.
Universal Solar Pump Controller
AeroVironment developed the Universal Solar Pump Controller (USPC) to facilitate access to water in remote areas such as ranches and villages, particularly in developing nations, where electrical infrastructure is not available. This versatile, high-performance, variable speed motor controller is used to convert solar energy to electricity to power pumping devices.
With a power conversion efficiency of 97% peak-power tracking, the USPC is most commonly used for water pumps, but has also been used for other solar motor driven applications, including oil, water purification (reverse osmosis), refrigeration/freezers, and other pumping applications.
AV developed the Universal Solar Pump Controller (USPC) to facilitate access to water in remote areas such as ranches and villages, particularly in developing nations, where electrical infrastructure is not available. This versatile, high-performance, variable speed motor controller is used to convert solar energy to electricity to power pumping devices.
With a power conversion efficiency of 97% peak-power tracking, the USPC is most commonly used for water pumps, but has also been used for other solar motor driven applications, including oil, water purification (reverse osmosis), refrigeration/freezers, and other pumping applications.
Latest Press Kit
The EV Press Center is designed to provide access to the latest information on AV's EV Charging Solutions. Please use the links below to download various media items.
Press Release
North America Selects AeroVironment To Install Home-Charging Stations for Nissan Leaf
Additional Documents
EVSE Home In Use (jpg)
Image Gallery Catalogue (pdf)
EVSE Commercial (jpg)
EVSE RS (jpg)
EV60 Fleet (jpg)
EVSE Double Charger (jpg)
EVSE Quad Charger (jpg)
DC Fast Charge Station (jpg)
Home Charging Made Easy (.mov)
Home Charging Made Easy (.wmv)
Charge Smarter. Drive Farther (.mov)
Charge Smarter. Drive Farther (.wmv)
For additional questions or to speak with a PR representative,
please contact:
AeroVironment, Inc.
Steven Gitlin
+1 (626) 357-9983
Mark Boyer
For AeroVironment, Inc.
+1 (310) 229-5956
Media Contacts
Members of the media are encouraged to get in touch with our media relations team by using the contact information below.
Media Inquiries:
AeroVironment, Inc.
Steven Gitlin
Mark Boyer
For AeroVironment, Inc.
For Image Requests, please visit our Media Gallery
MT AV-30 es ideal para probar las aplicaciones más pequeñas, como pilas de células de combustible, módulos de baterías, módulos de parcial y componentes más pequeños. Este sistema proporciona una solución económica para muchas de las necesidades de desarrollo de nuestros clientes, y sólo utiliza una huella pequeña de espacio de laboratorio. La MT-30 ofrece una potencia de hasta 30 kW, con un rango de voltaje de 5 a 120VDC y una amplia corriente de ± 500ADC.
PosiCharge™ 2500 Series
PosiCharge™ 2500 Series chargers are based on the same award-winning technology that made PosiCharge the leader in industrial charging. Designed for single or double shift operations where charging can be accomplished during two to three scheduled breaks a day, the 2500 Series chargers eliminate the need for costly and potentially hazardous battery rooms.
The 2500 features a unique charging algorithm that uniquely identifies each battery and customizes its charge for maximum performance, greater efficiency and less down time. The newly redesigned octagonal shape requires less floor space and encourages stackability - making it ideal for either in-vehicle or high-velocity battery changing even in tight quarters.
The 2500 Series handles a variety of battery sizes and trucks, offering maximum flexibility for your charging needs. These chargers are equipped with the latest features:
- Anti-arcing disconnect
- Electrolyte immersed temperature sensor
- Better air flow
- 90% efficiency rating
UAS International Sales RepresentativesYour inquiries are important to us. Please select a country listed below to contact one of our International UAS Sales Representatives.
PosiCharge™ SVS
PosiCharge™ Outdoor Charging Systems provide the optimal solution for the ground support equipment industry. The SVS is a single port solution for small cargo warehouses, General Aviation, and FBO airport operations where one shift operations and overnight charging is the normal trend. The SVS outdoor system is rated NEMA3R for extreme environmental conditions.
PosiCharge™ DVS
PosiCharge™ features a full range of outdoor solutions for your charging needs. For the 1-2 shift operation, our DVS offers dual ports for greater efficiency and reduced equipment cost. The DVS easily mounts between shipping and receiving areas. As with all PosiCharge™ outdoor charging equipment, the DVS is rated for extreme environmental conditions.
PosiCharge™ MVS
The PosiCharge™ MVS charging system offers multiple charging stations for around-the-clock fast charging. The benefits of MVS include lower operating and electrical installation costs,and greater efficiency. MVS is one of the only outdoor chargers to feature:
- Highest power quality and most diverse multi-voltage
- Multi-amperage flexibility
- Multiple charge ports with only one utility drop
- Built for use in extreme heat or cold
- Battery Rx™ - monitors the battery and sends immediate alerts (launching in 2010)
- PosiNET® software - collects data on fleet for analytics and reporting
- Cable options that keep your chargers and cables organized and safely stored
- Custom Charge Cable to fit every need
- Plug-N-Charge - allows in-vehicle charging without removing cables
- Auto Watering - provides automatic and accurate watering levels, every time
- Comprehensive Data Management
- Battery Monitor and Identifier Module (BMID)
- Electrolytic Thermistor
- Dynamic Equalization Scheduler
PosiCharge™ Fast Charging Accessories
AeroVironment's PosiCharge™ offers a full line of tools and accessories to complement our charger line, trucks and batteries. Fully optimized charging solutions are available to fit virtually any operation.
Fleet Accessories
Tools that monitor and manage your batteries and vehicles using AV's advanced algorithms and user-friendly software so that you have ready access to your fleet's battery information at your finger tips to allow quick responses to alerts and continued maximum efficiencies.
Cable Accessories
Battery Accessories
Options that deliver on thermal management, battery life, and ease of use - keeping your trucks charged and ready to go.
PosiCharge™ SVS/DVS
PosiCharge™ SVS and DVS are premium intelligent chargers for the hardest-working forklifts in the fleet. The SVS is a flexible single-port charging station and the DVS is a dual port system suitable for locations where vehicles can be parked in pairs for reduced equipment costs. These premium systems are designed to handle multiple shifts for round-the-clock performance. Vehicles recharge at various times throughout shifts during short but opportune 'fast-charge' windows - like breaks and lunches, truck downtime, and shift changes.
The SVS/DVS line features:
PosiCharge™ Customer Service
Contact Us Today!
Our customers include some of the most respected companies in the world which are leaders in their industries. We work closely with our customers to design and implement the most effective solutions for their warehouse, distribution, manufacturing, and ground support facilities.
All the members of the PosiCharge™ systems team are dedicated to complete customer satisfaction. You may reach us 24 hours a day at:
AeroVironment, Inc.
Efficient Energy Systems
North American Headquarters
181 W Huntington Drive Suite 202
Monrovia, CA 91016
Customer Service:
General Information Including International:
European Headquarters
Landsberger Straße 155
80687 München
Outdoor Fast Charging Systems
With more than 2,000 ports delivered, PosiCharge™ systems bring you industry-leading fast charge solutions, outdoor-rated to withstand many outdoor environmental conditions.
Our SVS100 outdoor fast charge system is compact and well suited for light duty airport ground applications such as small cargo warehouses, GA and FBO airport operations, regional jet operations, and for charging other large electric equipment operating in a non-hub environment.
As the airlines' preferred choice in fast and energy-efficient charging systems, PosiCharge DVS300 and MVS are Multi-Port systems ideal for airport applications. Our Multi-Port systems are customizable for the airport ground support equipment market.
AV Image License Agreement (avinc.com) Media CenterAll images or videos provided by AeroVironment, Inc. ("AV") to the recipient are provided subject to the following terms and conditions (this "Agreement"):
- AV owns and retains the copyrights in the images and videos contained on the avinc.com Web site (this "Site"), except where expressly noted. AV grants a nonexclusive, limited right to recipient to download images/videos from the AV Media Gallery http://www.avinc.com/mediagallery contained within the Site (the "Materials"), and reproduce such Materials without alteration for the news reporting [or editorial] purposes described on the Request Form submitted to AV with this Agreement (the "Request Form"). Materials are provided for one-time, press related use only. Long-term use (in excess of one (1) year) or use of Materials in publications, CD-ROMs, Web sites (other than online articles), or any other non press related for-profit use is prohibited. Except for the foregoing limited license, no other rights or permissions of any kind are given to the recipient.
- The AV name and logo, service marks, trademarks, and/or trade dress used on this Site are owned by AV. Nothing contained on this Site should be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license or right to use any service marks, trademarks, and/or trade dress displayed on this web site, and such use is strictly prohibited without the written permission of its owner. In addition, all page headers, custom graphics, button icons, and scripts on this Site are owned by AV, and may not be copied, imitated, or used, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of AV.
- To the extent that Materials include any trade name, trademark, or service mark owned by a third party, or likeness of or reference to a third party, recipient is responsible for obtaining appropriate permissions and licenses from such third party.
- The Materials are provided to recipient as is. All implied warranties are hereby disclaimed, including, without limitation, the warranties of title, infringement, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose.
- This Agreement will be: governed by the law of the State of California, exclusive of California choice of law provisions; constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes any and all other agreements, understandings, and communications between the parties related to the Materials; and, may only be amended to otherwise modified by a written instrument executed by an authorized representative of AV. By selecting the "I have read and agreed to the Terms and Conditions" checkbox at the end of the Media Gallery: Request Image or Video form, you accept this Agreement either for yourself or on behalf of your employer or the entity that is identified as the requestor and agree to be bound by its provisions. If you are accepting on behalf of your employer or the entity that is the requester, you represent and warrant that you have full legal authority to bind your employer or such other entity. If you do not have such authority or you do not accept or agree with these terms, do not accept the "Terms and Conditions."
2009: Digital Data Link
A small, wireless broadband link that expands the communications capabilities of SUAS.
2010: Global Observer UAS
Successfully completes first flight.
2008: Fuel Cell Puma UAS
Achieves record 9-hour flight powered by a fuel cell battery hybrid system.
2007: Wasp Micro Air Vehicle
AV's smallest production UAS.
We offer competitive salaries to attract and retain the best minds in our industries. All employees participate in an annual Fiscal Year incentive bonus program.
Health And Fitness Benefits
We offer two medical plan choices that include hospital, physician, surgical and prescription drug coverage for employees and their dependents. Coverage is effective on the employee's hire date. AeroVironment shares in the cost of this benefit with the employee.
Health Care
We provide dental coverage for employees and their eligible dependents. The cost for employee coverage is paid by AeroVironment. We also contribute to the cost for dependent coverage. Coverage is effective on the employee's hire date.
Dental Care
Company paid flu shots are offered annually to all employees.
Flu Shots
AeroVironment maintains a corporate membership with 24 Hour Fitness that gives employees a waiver on initiation fees and a discount on membership fees.
Health Club
Vision services are available through a voluntary program. Vision services include annual eye exams, standard lenses, frames and contact lenses. The cost for this benefit is paid by the employee.
Vision Care
Financial/Savings Benefits
AeroVironment maintains a 401(k) plan that allows employees to tax defer up to 75% of their pay (subject to IRS restrictions and limitations). Employees may join the 401(k) plan upon completion of one full pay period with the company. After the completion of one full year of service, AeroVironment will make matching contributions up to 5.75% of eligible compensation. Vesting of the Company match is 20% per year and begins on the employee's hire date.
401(k) Plan
AeroVironment provides Life/AD&D insurance for all employees. This benefit becomes effective on the employee's hire date and is paid for by AeroVironment. Employees can also purchase additional Life/AD&D insurance for themselves and their spouse and children through a voluntary benefit program.
Life Insurance/AD&D
Long-term disability insurance is provided for all employees. This benefit becomes effective on the employee's date of hire and is paid for by AeroVironment.
Long-Term Disability
AeroVironment in coordination with AFLAC provides several voluntary benefit plans, which offer supplemental financial support for a variety of situations. The cost for these programs are paid by the employee. The types of policies offered include:
Voluntary Supplemental Insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts - medical & dependent care
- Accident Indemnity Plan
- Cancer Indemnity Plan
- Disability Income Protector: Short Term
Long Term Care coverage is available through a voluntary program. This type of coverage provides needed resources for care when an individual requires help with two or more activities of daily living or when an individual suffers a severe cognitive impairment. The cost for this benefit is paid by the employee.
Long Term Care
Employees may join the Technology Federal Credit Union, which provides a wide array of services for a nominal membership fee. This benefit is available to all employees and their family members. Tech Fed is now among the top 1% of the nation's largest credit unions. Tech Fed is affiliated with other Credit Unions to make benefits accessible to employees in all locations.
Credit Union
Other Benefits
AeroViroffers discount programs at various local attractions. In addition, we sell movie tickets for several theater chains at a discounted price.
Every day is "casual Friday."
Casual Dress
AV is committed to environmental and energy objectives. As such, we encourage employees to ride share or use alternative methods of commuting to and from work. The company provides cash and gift incentives for those employees who make significant efforts to decrease the number of single vehicle trips they make to and from work.
Ride Share Program
Coffee, cocoa and tea are free and available in all facilities.
Throughout the year, AeroVironment sponsors events for employees and their families. Each year we have a family picnic and a holiday party. We often surprise our employees with T-shirts to commemorate new products and company accomplishments.
Company Sponsored Events
Time Off and Employee Service
We offer a generous vacation plan that starts to accrue upon an employee's hire date.
AeroVironment recognizes 10 or 11 paid holidays per year:
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Season: (The company closes from December 24th through January 1st each year.)
Sick Leave
Sick leave benefits start to accrue upon an employee's hire date and can also be applied for medically related appointments, caring for a sick child, or for a serious illness or death in your family. Employees with excellent attendance may participate in our Sick Leave / Vacation Conversion Plan.
Child Care Policy
AeroVironment acknowledges that there are times when employees need to care for children that are inconsistent with work related responsibilities. Whenever possible, we try to accommodate these needs while meeting business requirements.
- Employees can use their accrued sick leave to assist in the nurture and care of their newborns or newly adopted children.
- Employees may use their accrued sick leave to care for an ill child.
- As long as it does not have an adverse effect upon business, AeroVironment will accommodate flexible work hours.
Employee Assistance Program
The EAP provides confidential assessment, referral and follow-up services to help assist employees and their family members in managing issues that affect their daily life.
Personal Development
Educational Assistance Program
AeroVironment encourages personal learning and growth. To help foster an environment that supports these goals, we have an educational assistance program, which is designed to provide financial assistance for pre-approved educational courses or seminars.
AeroVironment University
As part of our ongoing commitment to employee development, we have an e-Learning program called "AeroVironment University." e-Learning is a developmental tool that employee's can utilize to expand their knowledge base, in their own time, and at their own pace regardless of their location.