NASA/JPL awards AeroVironment contract for three SkyFall helicopters
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory awarded AeroVironment a contract to co-design and co-manufacture three autonomous helicopters for SkyFall.
Why it matters
The award gives AeroVironment a defined manufacturing role in a named NASA mission, but launch, Mars operations and science outcomes all remain future milestones.
Evidence notes
- AeroVironment will co-design and co-manufacture the three aircraft with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- The autonomous rotorcraft are planned to map subsurface ice and terrain while operating as independent aerial scouts.
- SkyFall targets a late-2028 launch, and the contract value was not disclosed.
Company context
AeroVironment, branded AV, is a U.S. defence technology company spanning autonomous systems, loitering munitions, counter-UAS, directed energy, space, cyber and electronic warfare.