MONROVIA, Calif., 8 Juy 2008.AeroVironment Inc. (AV) has won a Phase II contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to design and build a flying prototype for the Nano Air Vehicle (NAV) program.
AV completed a preliminary design review at the end of its Phase I, $1.7 million program. Phase II, initiated in March, is a new six-month, $636,000 development program that will culminate with the demonstration of a rudimentary, three-inch flapping-wing air vehicle system.
Following a demonstration, DARPA has the option to extend the program for an additional 18 months, which could increase the Phase II contract value.
The NAV program was initiated by DARPA to develop a new class of air vehicles capable of indoor and outdoor operations. Employing biological mimicry at an extremely small scale, this aircraft is designed to provide new military reconnaissance capabilities in urban environments. AV's NAV is designed to weigh no more than 10 grams and have the ability to carry a payload of up to 2 grams. AV's NAV team developed the Black Widow and Wasp MAVs for DARPA.
"Our Raven and Wasp III UAS began as early development programs similar to the NAV program, and now help protect the lives and enhance the operational effectiveness of warfighters and first responders," says John Grabowsky, AV executive vice president and general manager of unmanned aircraft systems. "The NAV program represents the early development of a
revolutionary new class of UAS that could eventually provide valuable new capabilities to our customers."
