AeroVironment Puma 3AE

The AeroVironment Puma 3AE is a lightweight reconnaissance and surveillance UAV designed for small-unit operations on land and at sea. The “3AE” designation refers to All Environment capability, highlighting the aircraft’s ability to operate not only from dry ground but also in coastal, shipborne and water-landing missions.

According to the Plarok dataset, the Puma 3AE has a maximum speed of 41 knots, a cruise speed of 25 knots and an endurance of up to 3 hours. Its 2.8-metre wingspan and 7.1-kilogram maximum takeoff weight keep the system portable enough for deployment by a small team. The operational range can reach 60 kilometres when the long-range tracking antenna is used.

The Puma 3AE can be hand-launched or fitted with an optional VTOL kit for vertical takeoff. At the end of a mission, it can recover through an autonomous deep-stall landing maneuver, while its waterproof airframe allows it to land on fresh or salt water. Equipped with Mantis i45 or i45N payloads, the aircraft can provide electro-optical, infrared and low-light imagery for coastal patrol, ship protection, border monitoring and real-time tactical reconnaissance.