The US Army has received its first delivery of P550 uncrewed aerial systems from AeroVironment as part of the Long-Range Reconnaissance program. The package contained multiple drone units, training kits, and instructors tasked with preparing Army personnel for rapid integration.
Introduced in late 2024, the P550 is an autonomous, AI-driven UAS featuring electric propulsion and VTOL design. It was engineered for intelligence-gathering and strike roles while maintaining a MOSA-based framework for scalable modernization.
Weighing 55 pounds, the Group 2-class drone can carry payloads up to 15 pounds. Its battery-powered endurance reaches five continuous flight hours, after which it can quickly return to service through recharging or battery swaps.
A key feature is its fast adaptability—the system can be reconfigured in about five minutes without tools. With support for hot-swappable payloads, the P550 enhances the Army’s ability to deploy a flexible aerial asset across a wide range of missions.
