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A critical upgrade delivers three times the range of a current UAV system, the Puma AE. AeroVironment, expertising in unmanned aircraft systems (UAV) for both military and commercial applications, released a new, long-range tracking antenna (LRTA) for its Puma AE unmanned aircraft system.

The upgrade extends the range of Puma systems equipped with AeroVironment’s secure Digital Data Link (DDL) technology to approximately 60 kilometers, significantly boosting Puma AE’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and enhancing warfighter safety, according to the company’s announcement on its website.

Puma AE (All Environment) is a fully waterproof, small UAV designed for land and maritime operations. Capable of landing in water or on land, the Puma AE empowers the operator with unmatched operational flexibility in the small UAV class. Puma’s enhanced precision navigation system with secondary GPS provides optimal positional accuracy and reliability. Moreover, the company’s common ground control system (GCS) allows the operator to control the aircraft manually or program it for GPS-based autonomous navigation.

The new antenna features an automated tracking function (two-axis positioner) that ensures a secure and reliable link with the Puma air vehicle while it operates at extended range. When integrated with AeroVironment’s Mantis i45 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) gimbal sensor suite, this improved antenna gives Puma capabilities similar to larger and more costly Group 2 or higher UAS.

With M3/M4 DDL radio frequency capability, the new LRTA is compatible with a wide range of flight and ground assets that use those wavebands, including ones which give users direct access to real-time video downlink images and geodata from any DDL-equipped platform.

The new LRTA has a rugged frame designed for operation in the harshest conditions. It comes fully equipped with all the components needed for its operation. Plus, operation with the LRTA requires no modifications to Puma Systems compatible with M3/M4 DDL radios.