AeroVironment (AV) has been chosen by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to continue developing its X-Plane design, known as Wildcat, for the Advanced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) program. Wildcat, a Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), is specifically designed for ship-based operations in challenging maritime environments.
“We have prioritized controllability to ensure Wildcat meets the ‘anytime, anywhere’ goal of DARPA’s ANCILLARY program,” said AV’s Vice President of MacCready Works, Chris Fisher. “Wildcat leans on autonomy to reduce operational burdens while enabling safe, infrastructure-less launch and recovery in challenging conditions from a range of Navy ships.”
Wildcat employs AV’s SPOTR-Edge machine learning-enabled computer vision to enhance mission effectiveness. This advanced capability builds on AV’s extensive experience in the Group 1 to 3 UAS space, leveraging millions of operational flight hours with its Raven®, Puma™ AE, and JUMP® 20 systems.
The ANCILLARY program aims to develop a low-weight, large-payload, long-endurance VTOL UAS for missions executed by the U.S. Navy and Marines. AV’s Wildcat is designed to push beyond current Group 3 UAS capabilities, providing expanded mission capabilities to address and overcome evolving threat landscapes.
Designed specifically to meet DARPA’s objectives, Wildcat offers a 450 nautical mile mission radius and over 12 hours of endurance on station with a 60-pound payload. It also exceeds program objectives for sea state recovery and cruise speed, operating effectively in high sea states and winds, and achieving speeds over 100 knots to cover long distances quickly.
Wildcat’s large modular payload capacity enhances mission responsiveness and flexibility, while its tail-sitter design requires minimal infrastructure and footprint compared to other systems. It is designed to operate as part of a larger fleet of Wildcat UAS, leveraging collision-avoidance and autonomy to deconflict airspace and collaborate on search missions in degraded or denied airspace.
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