AeroVironment (AV), a global leader in all-domain defense systems, has announced the integration of its Visual Navigation System (VNS) kit with the Puma Long Endurance (LE) small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS). The upgrade delivers GNSS-denied navigation capability to ensure mission success in contested environments.
First introduced in 2022 for the Puma 2 AE and Puma 3 AE, the VNS kit uses advanced computer vision and onboard processing to provide precise, GNSS-independent navigation. Its integration into Puma LE now extends this capability across the entire Puma family, offering greater flexibility and resilience in degraded or denied environments.
“Assured navigation is critical to the mission, especially as GNSS becomes an increasingly vulnerable resource,” said Jason Hendrix, Vice President of Small Uncrewed Systems at AV. “By fusing visual and inertial data in real time, the system enables uninterrupted flight paths, accurate geolocation, and mission continuity in unreliable GNSS regions.”
Using downward-facing sensors, cameras, and onboard computing, the VNS kit performs Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) to capture and analyze terrain imagery, estimating true aircraft position in real time. The system fuses continuous visual data with motion inputs from inertial sensors to calculate precise position, velocity, and orientation. It automatically transitions between GNSS-enabled and GNSS-denied modes with zero pilot input, ensuring uninterrupted mission continuity.
In September, AV announced several Puma LE upgrades, including integration of a Laser Target Designator and the Universal Gimbal Kit, evolving Puma LE beyond ISR into a precision-engagement system.
“Every upgrade to Puma LE, including the VNS kit, laser designator, and gimbal capabilities, is driven by one goal: giving the warfighter greater confidence, flexibility, and capability,” said Trace Stevenson, President of Autonomous Systems at AV. “These recent releases demonstrate AV constantly evolving our platforms to provide best-in-class capability.”
