AeroVironment wins a $117 million Army order for 82 runway-free P550 scout drones
The Army is buying 82 runway-free reconnaissance drones for its battalions and wants them delivered within seven weeks, from the maker of the Switchblade munitions sent to Ukraine.
The Army is buying 82 runway-free reconnaissance drones for its battalions and wants them delivered within seven weeks, from the maker of the Switchblade munitions sent to Ukraine.
The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $117.3 million firm-fixed-price contract on June 3 for 82 P550 reconnaissance drones, meant to give battalion commanders their own reconnaissance, surveillance and target-acquisition aircraft, ClearanceJobs reported from the Pentagon's daily contract digest. Delivery is due by July 23.
The P550 is an electric vertical-takeoff drone that needs no runway, catapult or launch crew. It flies more than five hours on battery, carries up to 6.8 kilograms (15 pounds) of sensors, and swaps payloads and batteries in the field in under five minutes, Defence Blog reported. The outlet said onboard autonomy helps it fly and identify objects in GPS-denied conditions, where forces in Ukraine jam and spoof drone navigation.
Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama ran the buy and took ten bids before picking AeroVironment, per the contract notice. The completion date is July 23, about seven weeks after the award.
AeroVironment makes the Switchblade loitering munitions sent to Ukraine and the Raven and Puma scouts U.S. infantry carry. Defence Blog described the P550 as a step up from those backpack drones and below the systems that need dedicated operator crews. The same daily digest listed parallel Army buys of Redwire's Stalker and Griffon's Outlaw scouts, also organic reconnaissance for maneuver units.
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Subscribe Free →AeroVironment has to deliver all 82 P550s by the July 23 date.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Army buy?
The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $117.3 million firm-fixed-price contract on June 3, 2026, for 82 P550 unmanned aircraft systems for battalion-level reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, per ClearanceJobs and the Pentagon's contract digest.
What is the P550?
It is an electric vertical-takeoff reconnaissance drone that needs no runway or catapult, flies more than five hours, carries up to 6.8 kilograms of sensors, and swaps payloads and batteries in under five minutes, per Defence Blog.
When will the drones be delivered?
The contract sets an estimated completion date of July 23, 2026, about seven weeks after the award, per ClearanceJobs and the contract notice.
Why does this connect to the war in Ukraine?
AeroVironment makes the Switchblade loitering munitions sent to Ukraine and the Raven and Puma scouts U.S. infantry carry, per Defence Blog. The P550's runway-free, autonomous design reflects the demand for organic drone reconnaissance the war has made standard.
Was this a competitive award?
Yes. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama took ten bids before selecting AeroVironment, per the contract notice reported by ClearanceJobs.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.