Successful Flight Testing for Heavy Fuel VTOL UAS

AeroVironment (AV) has successfully demonstrated its JUMP® 20 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) with a heavy fuel engine. 

The higher horsepower and lower fuel burn rate provided by the heavy fuel engine expands the capabilities of AV’s proven JUMP 20 platform. Integration of the heavy fuel engine further establishes the JUMP 20 as a multi-domain multi-mission UAS capable of autonomously operating in challenging conditions.

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.

Shane Hastings, AV’s vice president and general manager of Medium UAS, said; “The addition of a heavy fuel engine to the JUMP 20 provides global forces an unparalleled 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. Heavy fuel compatibility continues to be a strong requirement for many customers, and we’ve made great strides in making our proven JUMP 20 fully compliant with these requirements.”

He continued; “With successful test flights under our belt, AV is excited to continue system testing and further optimizing JUMP 20 with heavy fuel capabilities. This milestone further demonstrates AV’s ability to deliver highly mature and reliable systems capable of working in the most extreme environmental conditions.”