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AeroVironment (AV) is introducing a suite of software updates, known as Project GOLD, to enhance the battlefield effectiveness of its Puma 3 AE and Puma LE unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The new software upgrades are designed to improve the reliability of these drones in contested and denied airspace, ensuring that they can maintain mission performance even when GPS and other navigation signals are unreliable or jammed.
According to the press release, the key upgrades to the Puma systems include advanced Assured Position Navigation and Timing (APNT) capabilities, which allow them to maintain autonomous and secure mission performance even when critical signals are degraded or denied. This ensures that the Puma drones can continue performing critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks autonomously and securely, without relying heavily on GPS.
Another significant feature is the enhanced Visual Navigation System (VNS), which provides Puma drones with an added layer of protection against GPS spoofing. This feature enables the systems to detect and reject any attempts to deceive their navigation by adversaries, making them more resilient in complex battlefields.
In addition to these navigation improvements, the software update enhances the security of the drones’ communications, ensuring that they can maintain robust, secure links even in highly contested environments where adversaries may attempt to disrupt signals. Furthermore, the update increases the Puma’s payload capacity by 60%, enabling the UAS to carry more advanced multi-mission support systems—up to 3 kilos.
Trace Stevenson, AV’s senior vice president and general manager of Uncrewed Systems, explained that the software update aims to strengthen the adaptability and resilience of the Puma systems for difficult battlefield conditions and ensure operational superiority, even when adversaries attempt to disrupt critical systems.
The software update is a cost-effective and rapid solution, without any hardware changes to existing systems. All new Puma drones will come equipped with the software, while existing customers will have the option to upgrade their systems.
