Red Cat Holdings, a developer of advanced aerial intelligence and situational awareness technologies, is partnering with AeroVironment (AV) to deploy Red Cat’s FANG™ FPV drones from AV’s P550™ autonomous all-electric Group 2 eVTOL UAS.
This collaboration aims to demonstrate interoperability between Group 2 and FPV-class systems, extend the FPV operational range of FANG drones through aerial deployment, and combine long- and short-range ISR capabilities within one mission.
Red Cat and AV are collaborating to develop a marsupial configuration, where the long-endurance P550 carries and releases smaller FANG drones using its modular CLIK interface.
This approach leverages the P550’s Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) to demonstrate how interoperable unmanned systems can work together to enhance operational reach and flexibility. It also showcases modular, MOSA-aligned pathways for the Army’s evolving sUAS ecosystem.
Red Cat’s FANG™ FPV drone, part of the Arachnid Family of Systems, is an NDAA-compliant platform designed for ISR and tactical missions. When deployed from a P550 in a marsupial configuration, FANG provides close-in situational awareness Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), improves operator decision-making, and may support additional payloads in future iterations.
AV’s P550 features a 15-pound modular payload capacity, five-hour endurance, and advanced AI-enabled autonomy.
Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat, stated, “This collaboration reflects how U.S. companies can come together to advance modular, interoperable technologies that strengthen operational capability. By exploring how FANG can be deployed from the P550, we’re showing what’s possible when small, agile systems are paired with long-endurance platforms to create greater reach, responsiveness, and mission versatility.”
Jason Hendrix, Vice President & General Manager of sUAS at AV, added, “The P550 was engineered with open-architecture flexibility at its core. Our collaboration with Red Cat underscores that design philosophy and the integration of payloads like FANG broaden operational reach and create new mission possibilities for the warfighter. Together, we’re demonstrating how adaptable Group 2 systems can integrate with sUAS to support the Army’s vision for scalable, multi-echelon operations.”
Red Cat and AV are partnering on the engineering, interface, and control requirements to enable this payload deployment concept.
Teams are conducting design and compatibility work in preparation for future demonstrations, highlighting how modular systems can enhance mission flexibility for U.S. and allied defense forces.
