Wasp AE sets sights on Australia
AeroVironment will offer its Wasp AE UAS to the Australian Army and Special Forces, the company announced on 6 September.
The company has named a team for the Australian market including Australia’s XTEK, Sentient Vision and General Dynamics Mediaware.
Designated as the RQ-12A by the US Department of Defense, Wasp AE is designed to deliver intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in both ground and maritime operations.
The man-packable system weighs 1.3kg, has a 29in wingspan and carries interchangeable payload modules. It incorporates the 275g Mantis i22 AE miniature gimbaled payload, giving operators both colour and infrared video imagery from a single sensor package.
Each Wasp AE system consists of two air vehicles and one ground control system. The system is land-launched and can undertake deep-stall landing in confined areas or land on water. It can be operated manually or programmed for autonomous operation using the system's advanced avionics and precise GPS navigation.
The UAS has a communications range of 5km and flight endurance of 50 minutes.
Kirk Flittie, vice president and general manager of UAS, AeroVironment, said: ‘Teaming with XTEK, Sentient and General Dynamics Mediaware for delivery and sustainment is key to ensuring our customer’s success as its forces rely on the advanced, versatile and life-saving capabilities of our Wasp AE systems to proceed with certainty.
‘Wasp AE is an all-environment small UAS designed for reliable and effective operation in real-world environments.’
The ADF undertook training exercises with the RQ-12 Wasp as part of an army soldier modernisation trial in 2015. The systems were supplied under an order received from XTEK, on behalf of the ADF.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)]()
Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
-
![SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale]()
SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions]()
SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America]()
SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
-
![Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military]()
Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
