On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, the US Army Contracting Command (ACC) at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, acting on behalf of the US Department of Defense, signed a 117,306,232 USD implementation agreement with AeroVironment Inc. (AV) of Simi Valley, California, for the delivery of autonomous P550 vertical take-off and landing unmanned aircraft for long-range reconnaissance missions.
Photo: MILMAG Archive
This is the result of a framework agreement with the same maximum value, awarded on March 20 under a tender procedure for which 10 bids were received. The place of performance will be determined at a later date, while the expected completion date is July 23, 2026.
The P550 made its public debut at the AUSA 2024 exhibition in Washington, D.C. It is an autonomous, tactical-class, electric-powered, vertical take-off and landing unmanned aircraft, classified as a Group 2 eVTOL, and controlled by machine-learning algorithms, or artificial intelligence.
The P550 uses Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA), which is a requirement of the US Department of Defense for unmanned vehicles. Its fully electric drive system, powering four rotors for take-off and landing and two tractor propellers, provides an endurance of more than five hours and a payload capacity of more than 6.8 kg, or 15 lb.
It was designed to collect and gather intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) information, conduct precision target acquisition, and protect friendly forces in contested environments. It is intended to enable rapid response forces to gain situational awareness in a dynamic battlefield environment with rapidly changing requirements.
At the heart of the P550 is its MOSA modular systems architecture, enabling seamless integration with payloads from other manufacturers, data links, ground control systems, and mission software. This open and scalable architecture not only future-proofs the unmanned aircraft through continuous upgrades, but also keeps pace with technological progress at low cost and risk. The P550’s standard interfaces enable interoperability with various ground control systems, providing users with mission flexibility and compatibility across different platforms.
Purpose-built for rapid deployment in any environment, the P550’s modular design includes tool-free airframe assembly, replaceable battery cells, and payloads in the form of various sensors. To increase lethality, the unmanned aircraft supports a range of offensive capabilities, including laser designators, sensor-to-shooter data relay functions, and lightweight air-to-ground munitions. Its modular communications architecture further increases resilience by offering various data-link options resistant to electromagnetic interference.
The P550 is equipped with AeroVironment Inc.’s SPOTR-Edge automatic target recognition (ATR) system and the AVACORE software suite for onboard distributed processing. These advanced artificial intelligence capabilities allow unmanned aircraft to autonomously detect and classify operationally relevant objects ‒ from personnel and vehicles to aircraft and vessels ‒ by day and night, ultimately improving situational awareness and tactical decision-making on the battlefield.
AV is proud to announce P550 eVTOL UAS, defining a new era of battlefield adaptability. This group 2 UAS delivers rapid deployment, advanced autonomy, and unmatched versatility in a single, rugged, and adaptable platform. Learn more about how P550 can redefine your missions:… pic.twitter.com/Hx90I2uoBq
— AV (@aerovironment) October 15, 2024