Latest news with #AeroVironment
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AV Reveals Skyfall: Future Concept Next-Gen Mars Helicopters for Exploration and Human Landing Preparation
ARLINGTON, Va., July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, AeroVironment, Inc. ("AV") (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain autonomous systems, revealed Skyfall—a potential future mission concept for next-generation Mars Helicopters developed with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to help pave the way for human landing on Mars through autonomous aerial exploration. The concept is heavily focused on rapidly delivering an affordable, technically mature solution for expanded Mars exploration that would be ready for launch by 2028. Skyfall is designed to deploy six scout helicopters on Mars, where they would explore many of the sites selected by NASA and industry as top candidate landing sites for America's first Martian astronauts. While exploring the region, each helicopter can operate independently, beaming high-resolution surface imaging and sub-surface radar data back to Earth for analysis, helping ensure crewed vehicles make safe landings at areas with maximum amounts of water, ice, and other resources. The data Skyfall collects could also advance the nation's quest to discover whether Mars was ever habitable. The concept would be the first to use the "Skyfall Maneuver"–an innovative entry, descent and landing technique whereby the six rotorcraft deploy from their entry capsule during its descent through the Martian atmosphere. By flying the helicopters down to the Mars surface under their own power, Skyfall would eliminate the necessity for a landing platform–traditionally one of the most expensive, complex and risky elements of any Mars mission. This new Mars Helicopter concept leverages AV and JPL's prior success as co-developers of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter program, which was executed on time and on budget and completed 72 historic flights at Mars' Jezero Crater in just under three years–outperforming flight targets by more than 14 times and longevity targets by more than 32 times expectations. True to its name, Ingenuity showcased American innovation and space superiority by achieving the first powered flight on another world, introducing the speed and data collection capability that aerial operations bring to the Red Planet. "Skyfall offers a revolutionary new approach to Mars exploration that is faster and more affordable than anything that's come before it," said William Pomerantz, Head of Space Ventures at AV. "Thanks to a true partnership between industry and government, we're expanding the unprecedented success of Ingenuity. With six helicopters, Skyfall offers a low-cost solution that multiplies the range we would cover, the data we would collect, and the scientific research we would conduct–making humanity's first footprints on Mars meaningfully closer." Skyfall builds upon AV's expertise in multi-domain autonomous systems and proven capabilities as part of the Ingenuity program, including its lightweight aircraft structure suitable for the thin atmosphere of Mars. As part of the public-private partnership, JPL plans to transfer some components of its Ingenuity work to AV for the new mission, commercializing many of the proven avionics, flight software, and modeling techniques that have worked on Mars. "Ingenuity established the United States as the first and only country to achieve powered flight on another planet. Skyfall builds on that promise, providing detailed, actionable data from an aerial perspective that will not only be of use planning for future crewed missions, but can also benefit the planetary science community in their search for evidence that life once existed on Mars," said Trace Stevenson, President of Autonomous Systems at AV. "From ground to air to sea and now to space, our fleet of uncrewed systems is unleashing American drone dominance across all domains and inspiring the next generation of American scientists, engineers, and explorers to ensure that dominance persists for generations to come." Both Ingenuity and the Skyfall concept are part of the broader AV_Space portfolio, which spans ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), space technologies and payloads, and space operations. AV is a leader in long-haul laser communication, offering resilient space-based communication terminals that are faster, more secure, and consume less power than traditional systems. AV's advanced surveillance, data collection, and rapid analysis capabilities enhance customer situational awareness across various domains and ensure our nation's space superiority. With its BADGER and WASP ground-based phased array antennas, AV is modernizing and simplifying mission operations while rapidly expanding satellite command and control capabilities for complex SATCOM, telemetry, and electronic warfare missions. With NASA's goal of launching inspiring missions to Mars during favorable launch windows as the planets align, AV has already begun internal investments and coordination with NASA JPL to facilitate a potential 2028 launch. About AV AV (NASDAQ: AVAV) is a defense technology leader delivering integrated capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. The Company develops and deploys autonomous systems, loitering munitions, counter-UAS technologies, space-based platforms, directed energy systems, and cyber and electronic warfare capabilities—built to meet the mission needs of today's warfighter and tomorrow's conflicts. With a national manufacturing footprint and a deep innovation pipeline, AV delivers proven systems and future-defining capabilities at speed, scale, and operational relevance. For more information, visit Safe Harbor Statement Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of our control, that may cause our business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, our ability to perform under existing contracts and obtain additional contracts; changes in the regulatory environment; the activities of competitors; failure of the markets in which we operate to grow; failure to expand into new markets; failure to develop new products or integrate new technology with current products; and general economic and business conditions in the United States and elsewhere in the world. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE AV Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) Has A Good Gun, Says Jim Cramer
We recently published . AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) is a defense contractor that operates primarily in the uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) market. Also called drones, this is one of the hottest segments of the global defense industry. In this show, Cramer commented on the growing use of drones and pointed out that a large part of the Pentagon's costs are driven by fighter jet and bomber pilots. The CNBC TV host explained that triple redundancies in such systems drove up costs, and drones might help in reducing the costs and keeping military personnel safe from the risk of shootdowns. As for AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV), he outlined a cost-effective weapon to shoot drones: 'Also Wahid Nawabi was on Mad Money. Now he is the CEO of Aerovironment. And they have a gun that shoots 'em down. And it's a couple of pennies. So that's the hope.' Copyright: zabelin / 123RF Stock Photo Previously, the CNBC host discussed AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV)'s share price performance in an idea-driven market: 'We are in an idea-driven market and in an idea-driven market I go out with AeroVironment at 190 and then it goes to 290 because I mentioned it in the Mad Dash and then they're able to do a financing.' While we acknowledge the potential of AVAV as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the . READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Bonkers NASA Mission Aims to Drop Six Helicopters Onto Mars From Space
Defense tech company AeroVironment and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have shown off a wild concept for deploying six helicopters above the surface of Mars to scout for water and possible human landing sites. The concept, dubbed "Skyfall," builds on NASA's extremely successful and revolutionary Ingenuity Mars helicopter, which became the first manmade object to achieve powered flight on another planet in 2021. It flew a whopping 72 times over three years, vastly exceeding expectations. AeroVironment's plan is to "deploy six scout helicopters on Mars, where they would explore many of the sites selected by NASA and industry as top candidate landing sites for America's first Martian astronauts," according to a press release. As seen in a flashy animation, the "Skyfall Maneuver" will attempt to deploy the six rotorcraft from a much larger spacecraft during its descent through the Martian atmosphere, making it a highly ambitious endeavor. However, the plan would also "eliminate the necessity for a landing platform — traditionally one of the most expensive, complex and risky elements of any Mars mission," per the company. Whether such a venture will receive enough funding to be realized remains unclear at best. While AeroVironment has kicked off internal investments ahead of a planned 2028 launch, budgetary restraints at NASA could pose a major challenge. The Trump administration is planning to massively slash the space agency's budget in what critics are calling an "existential threat" to science, making anything at NASA currently an uncertain bet. Just last week, NASA's JPL reportedly held a "going out of business sale" for existing satellites, signaling tough times ahead. It's not the only concept vying to follow up on the tremendous success of Ingenuity. In December, NASA showed off a SUV-sized "Mars Chopper" with six rotor blades that could allow it to carry science payloads up to 11 pounds across distances of up to 1.9 miles per Mars day. AeroVironment's leadership claims its Skyfall concept could explore far more of the Red Planet for a fraction of the price, compared to conventional landers and rovers. "Skyfall offers a revolutionary new approach to Mars exploration that is faster and more affordable than anything that's come before it," said AeroVironment's head of space ventures, William Pomerantz, in the statement. "With six helicopters, Skyfall offers a low-cost solution that multiplies the range we would cover, the data we would collect, and the scientific research we would conduct — making humanity's first footprints on Mars meaningfully closer." Skyfall is planning to borrow heavily from its predecessor Ingenuity, including "its lightweight aircraft structure suitable for the thin atmosphere of Mars." "Ingenuity established the United States as the first and only country to achieve powered flight on another planet," said AeroVironment's president of autonomous systems, Trace Stevenson. "Skyfall builds on that promise, providing detailed, actionable data from an aerial perspective that will not only be of use planning for future crewed missions, but can also benefit the planetary science community in their search for evidence that life once existed on Mars." AeroVironment has worked on space-based laser communication terminals, as well as ground-based phased array antennas, to improve satellite command and control capabilities. How that expertise will translate to launching and landing six rotorcraft on Mars remains to be seen — but we'll be rooting for the project. More on Mars helicopters: NASA Shows Off SUV-Sized "Mars Chopper" With Six Rotor Blades
Digital Trends
4 days ago
- Science
- Digital Trends
Remember Ingenuity? NASA's proposed Skyfall mission takes it further in stunning video
NASA's incredible Ingenuity helicopter spent nearly three flying across the surface of Mars, becoming the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on a planet other than Earth. After suffering damage to one of its blades in early 2024, Ingenuity was grounded for good, and now rests on the martian surface as a testament to technological innovation and the triumph of autonomous flight on another planet. In an exciting development, the plucky helicopter has now inspired Skyfall, a mission concept recently unveiled by Virginia-based AeroVironment (AV) and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), who worked together to develop the Ingenuity aircraft. As you can see in the video at the top of this page, the Skyfall mission is designed to deploy not one but six helicopters on Mars, each of which would fly off to explore various locations selected by NASA as potential landing spots for the first crewed mission to the red planet, which could take place in the 2030s. The gathered data could also help scientists learn more about Mars, contributing to the expanding database of information collected by other Mars vehicles such as the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers. The video shows the dramatic Skyfall Maneuver, described by AV as 'an innovative entry, descent, and landing technique whereby the six rotorcraft deploy from their entry capsule during its descent through the martian atmosphere.' With the helicopters flying down to the Mars surface under their own power, the Skyfall system would do away with the need for a landing platform, which is one of the most expensive parts of any Mars mission and also carries huge risk. Just like Ingenuity, each helicopter would be capable of operating autonomously, and beam high-resolution imagery back to Earth for analysis, allowing mission planners to select the best possible landing location for the first human mission. 'Skyfall offers a revolutionary new approach to Mars exploration that is faster and more affordable than anything that's come before it,' said William Pomerantz, head of space ventures at AV. 'Thanks to a true partnership between industry and government, we're expanding the unprecedented success of Ingenuity.' Pomerantz added that with six helicopters, 'Skyfall offers a low-cost solution that multiplies the range we would cover, the data we would collect, and the scientific research we would conduct, making humanity's first footprints on Mars meaningfully closer.' With NASA's first human missions in mind and the need to identify an ideal landing area, AV is already working with NASA's JPL in the hope of getting the green light for the mission before working toward a potential 2028 launch.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Bonkers NASA Mission Aims to Drop Six Helicopters Onto Mars From Space
Defense tech company AeroVironment and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have shown off a wild concept for deploying six helicopters above the surface of Mars to scout for water and possible human landing sites. The concept, dubbed "Skyfall," builds on NASA's extremely successful and revolutionary Ingenuity Mars helicopter, which became the first manmade object to achieve powered flight on another planet in 2021. It flew a whopping 72 times over three years, vastly exceeding expectations. AeroVironment's plan is to "deploy six scout helicopters on Mars, where they would explore many of the sites selected by NASA and industry as top candidate landing sites for America's first Martian astronauts," according to a press release. As seen in a flashy animation, the "Skyfall Maneuver" will attempt to deploy the six rotorcraft from a much larger spacecraft during its descent through the Martian atmosphere, making it a highly ambitious endeavor. However, the plan would also "eliminate the necessity for a landing platform — traditionally one of the most expensive, complex and risky elements of any Mars mission," per the company. Whether such a venture will receive enough funding to be realized remains unclear at best. While AeroVironment has kicked off internal investments ahead of a planned 2028 launch, budgetary restraints at NASA could pose a major challenge. The Trump administration is planning to massively slash the space agency's budget in what critics are calling an "existential threat" to science, making anything at NASA currently an uncertain bet. Just last week, NASA's JPL reportedly held a "going out of business sale" for existing satellites, signaling tough times ahead. It's not the only concept vying to follow up on the tremendous success of Ingenuity. In December, NASA showed off a SUV-sized "Mars Chopper" with six rotor blades that could allow it to carry science payloads up to 11 pounds across distances of up to 1.9 miles per Mars day. AeroVironment's leadership claims its Skyfall concept could explore far more of the Red Planet for a fraction of the price, compared to conventional landers and rovers. "Skyfall offers a revolutionary new approach to Mars exploration that is faster and more affordable than anything that's come before it," said AeroVironment's head of space ventures, William Pomerantz, in the statement. "With six helicopters, Skyfall offers a low-cost solution that multiplies the range we would cover, the data we would collect, and the scientific research we would conduct — making humanity's first footprints on Mars meaningfully closer." Skyfall is planning to borrow heavily from its predecessor Ingenuity, including "its lightweight aircraft structure suitable for the thin atmosphere of Mars." "Ingenuity established the United States as the first and only country to achieve powered flight on another planet," said AeroVironment's president of autonomous systems, Trace Stevenson. "Skyfall builds on that promise, providing detailed, actionable data from an aerial perspective that will not only be of use planning for future crewed missions, but can also benefit the planetary science community in their search for evidence that life once existed on Mars." AeroVironment has worked on space-based laser communication terminals, as well as ground-based phased array antennas, to improve satellite command and control capabilities. How that expertise will translate to launching and landing six rotorcraft on Mars remains to be seen — but we'll be rooting for the project. More on Mars helicopters: NASA Shows Off SUV-Sized "Mars Chopper" With Six Rotor Blades
