AeroVironment Unveils Artificial Intelligence Capability, Autonomy Kit for Drones

AeroVironment (AV) has announced the introduction of its Autonomy Retrofit Kit (ARK) and AVACORE software aimed at advancing autonomy and machine learning capabilities for autonomous systems.

The ARK and AVACORE technologies are designed to enhance the effectiveness of AV's existing UAS platforms, including the Puma 3 AE and Puma LE, and future autonomous systems.

The ARK is a modular payload that integrates intelligent mission capabilities into Group 1+ UAS, providing edge computing for critical applications. This allows operators to assign mission objectives to a single or multi-vehicle team for autonomous execution, even in environments with limited communications. ARK also integrates with dismounted units via a Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) using the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK).

AVACORE is AV's autonomy software framework, offering an open architecture for unmanned systems. It supports rapid integration with various platforms and applications through a modular set of interfaces for autopilots, radios, and sensors. ARK comes equipped with SPOTR-Edge, AV's computer vision software, enabling onboard detection, classification, and tracking of objects such as people, vehicles, aircraft, and vessels day or night.

These technologies expand AV's portfolio of autonomous systems, providing scalable AI capabilities for safer and smarter mission operations. AVACORE's behavior tree approach allows for rapid development and adoption of new autonomous missions, reducing cognitive load for operators.