The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has issued a $2.3 million contract to AeroVironment to develop a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that can operate from small ships providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
AeroVironment received the contract under DARPA’s Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) program, which represents a new UAS category. Sierra Nevada Corp. will subcontract to AeroVironment on the project.
“We are excited to have been selected by DARPA and about what this signifies for the future of the UAS industry,” said Roy Minson, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager of the company’s UAS business segment. “TERN represents an entirely new category of UAS that has the potential to meet the evolving needs of customers for ISR capabilities."