AeroVironment has unveiled the Puma VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) kit for Puma 2 AE and Puma 3 AE small unmanned aircraft systems.
The plug-and-play kit allows the drones to operate in a rugged environment that lacks a runway or large open space for launch and recovery.
The kit leverages AeroVironment’s Crysalis ground control solution to enable streamlined battlefield communication and decision-making through features like one-button launch and recovery.
Plug-and-Play Option
“Our new Puma VTOL kit provides the operator with a wider range of launch and land capabilities, enhancing the unit’s mission while further safeguarding its personnel during these periods of transitional flight,” AeroVironment’s Shane Hastings said.
“The VTOL kit converts the Puma AE into a highly precise and agile ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) asset where a single operator can effortlessly launch the aircraft from a small space and attain mission-critical information of enemy forces in a timely manner and land on a desired rooftop or other small, targeted areas.”
The kit integration requires a one-time modification to the drone’s airframe. Afterward, the kit can be added and removed from the aircraft within a couple of minutes in the field, allowing the operator to use the platform as a fixed-wing or VTOL aircraft.