AV secures DIU contract to advance autonomous strike drone deployment

Written by Copernical Team Tuesday, 18 March 2025 10:01

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Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 17, 2025

AeroVironment (AV), a prominent player in the defense technology sector, has earned a key contract from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) aimed at fast-tracking the deployment of autonomous precision-strike drones. As part of its push into a critical segment of the defense industry, AV secured an Other Transaction Authority (OT) award from DIU under Project Artemis. This initiative is desi

AV secures DIU contract to advance autonomous strike drone deployment
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 17, 2025

AeroVironment (AV), a prominent player in the defense technology sector, has earned a key contract from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) aimed at fast-tracking the deployment of autonomous precision-strike drones.

As part of its push into a critical segment of the defense industry, AV secured an Other Transaction Authority (OT) award from DIU under Project Artemis. This initiative is designed to expedite testing and field deployment of long-range, one-way uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Backed by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (A&S), Project Artemis responds to urgent congressional mandates for the rapid delivery of advanced precision-strike technologies suitable for contested operational theaters.

The award aligns with a directive issued by Secretary Pete Hegseth on February 18, 2025, which exempts uncrewed platforms from broad fiscal reductions across defense programs. The directive underscores the Pentagon's focus on expanding autonomous capabilities as a core element of modern warfare.

AV's new one-way attack UAS features autonomous precision targeting, operates without reliance on GPS, and is built for large-scale production. Designed to function effectively in environments with limited or degraded connectivity, the system boasts resilience against electronic warfare (EW) challenges. Its software-defined architecture, combined with scalable production and advanced GNSS-free navigation, enables swift adaptation to evolving combat needs. Key technologies include AV's proprietary AVACORE autonomy software and SPOTR-Edge computer vision, which together provide rapid, scalable capability deployment.

"Project Artemis represents a major step in transforming how the DoD identifies, tests, and deploys asymmetric capabilities to the warfighter at speed and scale," said Jeff Rodrian, AV's senior vice president and general manager of MacCready Works. "AV's next-generation software-defined autonomous one-way attack UAS is already in the hands of early adopters and is now part of the Blue UAS ecosystem. Through this DIU contract, we look forward to quickly expanding its deployment to meet the urgent needs of today's battlespace."

AV will take part in rigorous evaluation and integration efforts, with the goal of proving prototype viability by the end of May 2025. These trials aim to furnish vital insights to support acquisition decisions by various military branches and Combatant Commands, significantly ahead of typical procurement timelines.

As global demand surges for long-range, autonomous precision munitions, AV remains focused on providing the technological edge needed to ensure U.S. and allied forces retain superiority in challenging combat zones.