Autonomous Maritime UAS Unveiled for Shipboard Operations at IDEX

AeroVironment (AV) is launching the JUMP® 20-X, a next-generation, modular Group 3 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) designed to meet the dynamic demands of modern warfare.

Designed for autonomous maritime UAS operations, the JUMP 20-X delivers versatility, efficiency, and precision in contested and complex environments.

Unveiled at the International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) 2025, the JUMP 20-X is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) medium UAS engineered to enhance shipboard UAS operations.

With an advanced heavy-fuel engine capable of running on multiple fuel types, JUMP 20-X enhances operational flexibility, simplifies refueling logistics, and ensures mission adaptability across diverse maritime and expeditionary environments.

Built for long-range, multi-domain operations, JUMP 20-X features a 13-hour flight endurance and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) connectivity, ensuring persistent surveillance and strike capabilities far beyond the horizon. Its modular 30-pound multi-payload capacity supports a wide range of mission sets, including:

• ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance)
• Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) & Wide-Area Surveillance (WAS)
• Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) & Electronic Warfare (EW)
• Secure Communications & Video Relay
• Precision Strike Capabilities with customizable lethality options

The JUMP 20-X is built on an open-architecture, payload-agnostic, radio-agnostic, and STANAG-compliant framework, ensuring rapid integration with existing military networks and emerging technologies. This future-proof design enables seamless interoperability across joint, allied, and coalition forces, allowing operators to adapt to evolving mission requirements in real time.

Designed for hands-free operation in complex environments, JUMP 20-X leverages AI-powered autonomy to ensure precise takeoff and landing – even on fast-moving ships in rough seas or under extreme conditions, day or night.

Additionally, AV’s cutting-edge SPOTR-Edge™ computer vision technology enables automated object detection and classification, enhancing situational awareness and tactical decision-making in real time.

Shane Hastings, AV’s vice president and general manager of Medium Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, commented, “The JUMP 20-X is more than a UAS—it’s a force multiplier that delivers the unmatched versatility, efficiency, and reliability modern operators’ demand. By combining cutting-edge autonomy, extended endurance, and a modular design, JUMP 20-X redefines what’s possible for maritime and expeditionary UAS operations in the most contested domains.”