Full-scale platform transitions to forward flight, accelerates mission system integration, and pushes the boundaries of maritime VTOL autonomy

AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV) announced today that its Wildcat uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) has achieved a series of development milestones in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Early VTOL Aircraft Demonstration (EVADE). Wildcat has successfully completed VTOL-to-forward-flight transitions, validated its core flight and propulsion systems, and begun integrating critical mission payloads—demonstrating rapid progress toward an operationally relevant capability.

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Designed for operations in high sea states, Wildcat showcases AV’s MacCready Works’ commitment to rapid innovation and mission-focused solutions. (Photo: AV)

Wildcat is a Group 3, tail-sitting vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft designed for launch and recovery from ship decks in denied and distributed maritime environments. Its compact footprint, autonomous launch and recovery, and robust flight performance across high sea states make it a flexible and scalable solution for contested littoral operations.

“Wildcat reflects the spirit of MacCready Works - breakthrough thinking, accelerated timelines, and deep mission alignment,” said Chris Fisher, AV’s vice president of MacCready Works Novel Systems. “In a matter of weeks, we’ve gone from system integration to full forward flight transitions, all while validating key subsystems. This is what innovation at operational speed looks like.”

Within this fast-paced program, innovations include a new Visual Precision Landing System (VPLS), an AVACORE™-enabled integration of Government Furnished Software and testing of a new modular autopilot and AI compute module all of which feed back into AV’s existing product lines including the JUMP^® 20-X, P550™, and others.

Recent flight testing included the expansion of Wildcat’s hover envelope and the first successful transitions to forward flight using the full-scale test platform. Key systems—such as a heavy fuel propulsion system, fuel, and flight control—were validated in both hover and level flight, with aerodynamic performance confirmed across a range of airspeeds and flight profiles. These results reflect the maturity of the design and the pace of advancement within the EVADE framework.

The EVADE initiative accelerates DARPA’s AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) program Phase 2 plan, which the agency initially projected to conduct flight testing in late 2026.

AV is now integrating mission-critical payloads that will enable Wildcat to support ISR, communications, and other tactical effects from a single, modular platform. In the next phase of flight tests Wildcat will perform simulated maritime missions—transitioning between hover and forward flight while executing payload-driven tasking in representative operational scenarios.

Designed and developed by MacCready Works, AV’s advanced development team, Wildcat embodies the company’s commitment to solving the hardest challenges in autonomy, edge operations, and next-generation air dominance.

About AEROVIRONMENT, INC.

AeroVironment (“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, precision strike systems, 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 with speed, scale, and operational relevance.

For more information, visit www.avinc.com.

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.

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“In a matter of weeks, we’ve gone from system integration to full forward flight transitions, all while validating key subsystems. This is what innovation at operational speed looks like.” Chris Fisher, AV’s vice president of MacCready Works Novel Systems