AeroVironment (AV) has announced a suite of powerful software updates, collectively known as Project GOLD, designed to significantly enhance the battlefield performance of its Puma™ 3 AE and Puma™ LE uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). These upgrades are aimed at improving the Puma UAS’s ability to perform critical missions in contested environments, where GPS and communication signals are unreliable, unavailable, or deliberately jammed.
The software-only upgrades bolster the Puma UAS’s autonomous capabilities, ensuring continued mission success in GPS-denied environments, while also reducing the reliance on traditional navigation systems. With Project GOLD, Puma systems can operate securely and autonomously, even in the most hostile and disrupted areas, enhancing both survivability and mission effectiveness.
The Puma 3 AE and Puma LE now support advanced Assured Position Navigation and Timing (APNT) capabilities, ensuring reliable positioning and timing in environments where GNSS signals are denied or jammed. Additionally, the systems feature an enhanced Visual Navigation System (VNS) that allows for full GNSS-denied operation. This update includes additional layers of GNSS spoofing detection and rejection to protect against signal manipulation, offering greater autonomy and security for the UAS.
AeroVironment has also introduced upgraded radio security features with the latest software and user interface (UI/UX) updates, ensuring secure and reliable communications in contested environments where adversaries may attempt to disrupt signals.
Furthermore, the new software update enables a 60% increase in the Puma 3’s payload capacity, allowing it to carry up to 6.5 pounds of equipment. This enhancement supports a broader range of multi-mission applications, providing greater flexibility and operational support for a variety of tasks.
“With these software enhancements, we’re reinforcing the adaptability and resilience of our Puma Systems for the most demanding battlefield conditions,” said Trace Stevenson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Uncrewed Systems at AeroVironment. “These upgrades allow warfighters to maintain operational superiority, even when adversaries attempt to disrupt critical systems, ensuring greater mission success and survivability.”
The new capabilities are delivered through a software update, meaning no hardware modifications are needed to upgrade existing Puma systems. This approach offers a cost-effective and rapid path to enhancing the capabilities of fielded fleets. All new Puma systems will come equipped with the latest features, and currently deployed units can easily be upgraded using the Puma Software Update Kit (SUK).
These enhancements underscore AeroVironment’s commitment to delivering advanced, mission-ready technology that supports warfighters in complex and contested environments. The updates also reinforce the Puma UAS’s reputation as a reliable, versatile asset for tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
Looking Ahead
The new software upgrades offered by Project GOLD ensure that Puma UAS remains at the forefront of unmanned systems technology. As global military operations become increasingly complex, these capabilities provide a critical edge to operators who need to maintain operational continuity in environments where traditional navigation and communication systems are compromised.
