VAPOR CLE

The VAPOR CLE is an all-electric Group 2 helicopter UAS with a folding airframe that can move from its transport case to flight in about two minutes. AeroVironment rates it for 120 minutes in cruise or 100 minutes in hover, a 32-kilometre range and payloads up to 10.9 kilograms. Its modular interface supports optical sensors, communications relays, electronic-warfare equipment and other mission payloads.

An onboard NVIDIA Orin computer runs autonomous-flight functions and AV_Halo vision processing, while the modular open architecture supports third-party integration. In April 2026, the U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $14.6 million production contract for VAPOR CLE under the Company-Level Directed Requirement, Small UAS Tranche 2, supporting Medium Range Reconnaissance. That award establishes a production programme; endurance and payload figures remain configuration- and operating-condition-dependent.