One-way attack drone from AeroVironment chosen for DIU’s Project Artemis
NewsMarch 17, 2025
ARLINGTON, Virginia. AeroVironment (AV) won a contract under the Defense Innovation Unit's (DIU) Project Artemis to advance long-range, one-way uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) for the Department of Defense (DoD), the company announced in a statement.
Awarded through an Other Transaction Authority (OTA), the contract aims to rapidly test and operationally evaluate precision-strike UAS in contested environments, the statement reads. Project Artemis is sponsored by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (A&S) and follows congressional directives to accelerate the deployment of autonomous strike platforms.
AV's one-way attack UAS is designed for operations in GPS-denied environments and includes features such as GNSS-independent navigation, a software-defined architecture, and electronic warfare resilience, the company says. The system incorporates AVACORE autonomy software and SPOTR-Edge computer vision to enhance targeting and situational awareness, the statement adds.
As part of the initiative, AV will conduct testing and integration efforts with the goal of demonstrating prototype success by May. These evaluations will inform future procurement decisions for the U.S. military and allied forces, the company states.
