AeroVironment Tests Jump 20 VTOL UAS with Heavy Fuel Engine

AeroVironment (AV) demonstrated its JUMP 20 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) with a heavy fuel engine on June 18.

The higher horsepower and lower fuel burn rate provided by the heavy fuel engine expands the capabilities of the JUMP 20 platform.

“The addition of a heavy fuel engine to the JUMP 20 provides global forces a VTOL solution with a longer operational lifespan, greater performance and efficient fuel consumption. It is well suited for land and sea domains where available fuel sources could be dictated by the respective logistics support plan,” said Shane Hastings, AV’s vice president and general manager of Medium UAS.

AV’s JUMP 20 is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), fixed-wing UAS with 13+ hours of endurance and an operational range of 185 km (115 mi). The 15 hp engine is purpose-built for uncrewed systems and capable of running on multiple fuels and gasoline. With over 15 hp output, the high endurance, minimal fuel burn engine also requires less frequent maintenance cycles and overhauls. It is lighter than traditional gasoline engines and has an auto-start capability that delivers customers a simplified UAS requiring less operator engagement to operate and sustain.